


tide // detroit: become human

by xoxojcanne



Category: DBH - Fandom, Detroit: Become Human
Genre: Angst, DBH, Death, Detroit: Become Human - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Romantic shit, im gonna hit you right in the feelies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-17 16:27:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 46,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16978008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xoxojcanne/pseuds/xoxojcanne
Summary: Everything is blue, I think there’s a flaw in my code.





	1. Chapter One

If home is where the heart is, then we're all just fucked.

...

'Get yours today' shone brightly across every other billboard in Detroit, showing three different Cyberlife androids to show the variety that you could purchase if you chose to do so. Androids were commonly found walking the streets in the year two thousand thirty eight. Cyberlife had begun to have many great breakthroughs that resulted in androids filling the streets amongst many towns. Some were found in what we could call 'parking stations' or others running errands for those who had purchased the androids. It was second nature for the machines to be shoulder to shoulder with others in communities across the nation, and the world.   
The sun peeked in through the clouds as they passed through. Androids walked along the streets to get their necessities from stores for their owners. But, some also ran with their androids on the sidewalk surrounding. Those protesting androids and Cyberlife's choice to make androids capable of working jobs could be heard throughout the outdoor shopping center.  
"Katrina, may I remind you that you are supposed to be at home at two o'clock this afternoon." Skylar reported, snapping Katrina back to reality. Skylar was Katrina's own personal android. There wasn't another android like Skylar on the streets. She was a prototype of a therapy android that Katrina had been designing at CyberLife. To help others like herself, Katrina was testing the android to make sure it could really deliver the help it needed to.  
"Thank you Skylar." Katrina nodded, turning on her heel and started walking towards the direction of the bus stop, Skylar following her close behind Katrina. They walked through the park portion of the city. Since it was early November the trees leaves had started to fall in a shower of red, yellow, and orange. They passed an android that Katrina had never seen before. He was an android with a browned skin tone with his hair shaved down close to the scalp. His eyes could almost startle you with how green they were. He carried a new box of paints in his hands. "What time is it exactly?"  
"One forty four in the afternoon." Skylar said, tucking her hands behind her back after they had passed through the park. "Your average choice of bus line home is supposed to arrive in fourteen seconds. With the amount of traffic in the area we should be home in approximately seventeen minutes."  
Katrina nodded, laughing a bit "You're cute Skylar." Skylar attempted to smile back.  
The self driven bus arrived precisely on time, as Katrina had assumed. Since arriving at the bus stop just at the nik of time others had formed around the station before she had. There were six others boarding the bus with her while their androids climbed onto the opposite side of the wall. Katrina and the human passengers entered in through the usual door and took their seats, while Androids entered into a android compartment in the back of the bus.  
Katrina set her bags next to her seat after she had selected where she wanted to sit, glancing back at Skylar to make sure she had gotten onto the bus as well. Skylar had been placed in the second row on the second spot to the left, filling one of the gaps with the other androids. Katrina knew that Skylar was just a piece of technology she had developed, it was only software in a fancy plastic frame. But there was something about her, like a feeling. It was almost like Skylar was only a couple of steps away from being human. If Katrina could only find the last piece of tech to finish of that bug that seemed to be holding her android back from being a real friend to her patient, Katrina.   
Katrina turned and faced the front of the bus. She checked the placement of her bags one more time as the bus started on its normal route, taking all of its passengers to their destination.

...

Katrinas apartment was nothing short of spectacular. It was a great place to hide from other people with the overlook of Detroit, the white exterior, and the high profile. The apartment was a gift from CyberLife when Katrina had first joined the company. It was comfortable, but it got lonesome at times. It was almost too large for herself and her two androids, it felt empty. After unlocking the door and slowly pushing it open Katrina slipped the apartment keys onto a small ceramic tray on an end table to her left.   
"Welcome home Katrina, did you and Skylar find all the things you needed?" Xloe asked, Xloe was a RT600 model android courtesy from a colleague whom she used to work with, Elijah Kamski. Xloe was set to be the hostess of the apartment, not to mention the caretaker and everything else an apartment would need, Xloe was the one that ran Katrina's home really.   
"Yes we did, did anyone call or stop by while we were out?" Katrina asked as she set the shopping bags on one of the white couches. Skylar quickly followed picking up the plastic bags and moving them to the granite countertops, unloading the things they'd picked up earlier that day.  
"You missed one call from Mr Elijah Kamski, he left a voicemail and sent a gift to the apartment. I set the gift on the breakfast bar." Xloe reported, tucking her hands behind her back. At the mention of Kamski's name, Katrina's chest felt like it was going to collapse into itself. Looking over to her right Katrina noticed the large vase of roses sitting in the center of the slightly larger line of countertop. A small paper note peeked out of one of the flowers on a metal rod, a glance later she cared no more than she had before.  
"Well, if Kamski knew me he'd know that I hate roses." Katrina muttered as she passed Xloe to the breakfast bar, taking the note from the bouquet and sticking it in her back pocket. She tried her best to ignore the increasing ache. "But I am also not drunk enough to listen to that voicemail. Send it to my phone in half an hour would you Xloe?" She grabbed a bottle of liquor from her personal alcohol cabinet not caring about the unimpressed look given by Skylar.   
"Yes Katrina" Xloe nodded.   
"Katrina, your nightly drink isn't until seven o'clock this evening.Your medicine will not counteract well with the alcohol." Skylar interjected "May I suggest the cranapple juice in the fridge, there is still three fourths of the canister in the refrigerator." Her protocols had been pushed into motion, instead of letting Katrina feed into alcohol she suggested something non-alcoholic. This was one of the many therapy protocols she had been programmed with, and one Katrina wished she hadn't thought of.   
"Thank you Skylar, but I'm just going to take this into my study. It'll be back before you know it." Katrina shrugged, referencing the bottle by shaking it up in the air. "Go upload your current data bank research to the CyberLife systems. Then when you're done go upload the blueprint 5G I finished last night to CyberLife as well."  
"Will do Katrina."  
Katrina just nodded as she started to moved down the hallway. The dark wood floorboards creaked under her feet as she trudged down the corridor, the thought of Elijah still fresh in her mind. She reached the doorway of her study, pressing her hand against the palm scanner. A dim blue light moved up and down the palm of her hand, scanning. When the machine had determined that it was indeed Katrina Bay, you could hear the lock click and the door slid open.  
Katrina strolled into her study, hearing the door sliding closed from back behind her. Her study was much more comfortable than the rest of the apartment. The wooden interior, the tall bookshelves, and the large work table filled the space. Thus making her study more of a safe haven than an office.  
The bookshelves were lined with hundreds of books, slid all shapes, sizes, and colors. Many of them were commonly read literature books while the rest were science, medical, and technological textbooks. She had collected most of them in her college years. With these books Katrina often found herself referencing back to them when she was working on different versions of androids.   
Only one picture frame sat on her desk among the mountains of blueprints scattered upon the working area. The picture had captured the moment of her parents and Katrina herself on the family vacation. Katrina was about nine years old at the time. She was being held very closely to her mom, it was being squished up to her mother's while her dad leaned into the picture. Most of Katrina's mom's face was hidden away behind a pair of sunglasses and a sunhat. Her dad just looked exhausted, like something sucked out his soul before the picture was taken.  
Katrina to no time and pressed the bottle opening to her mouth. Turning the picture face down on the desk, letting the burning liquid slip down her throat. She didn't need that memory resurfacing, not today.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Katrina, it's me, Kamski. I know it's a bad time to call , and I know you're still undeniably pissed off at me. I just wanted to make sure you're okay, especially on what today is. I know how much it affected you. If you can call me back when it's alright for you. Oh, and they were out of sunflowers, sorry."

...

"Katrina."  
"Hmm?"  
"Katrina, wake up!"  
Katrina opened her foggy eyes to see Skylar standing next to the desk. Katrina must have fallen asleep in her study. The left side of her face was pressed against on the wood of her desk, a slight tingle filling her cheek.  
"Skylar, what happened before I passed out?" Katrina asked, her hands searching for the absent bottle of alcohol.  
"You asked for the voicemail that was sent by Elijah Kamski early this morning, after that you threw an empty bottle against the wall and passed out on your desk. I already cleaned it up for you." Skylar reported "It was quite elaborate." God you gotta love Android humor, another aspect Katrina programmed into Skylar.   
"Why didn't you come in help me?" Katrina asked, lifting her head from the desk.  
"You told Xloe and I you were on 'Do Not Disturb', we tried to wake you earlier but you were in an alcoholic induced coma." Katrina added. "I woke you now to tell you that it is five O'clock in the evening and dinner is ready. According to your schedule you have missed two meals and haven't eaten in several hours."  
"Just stick it in the fridge, I don't want to eat right now." Katrina shook her head as she stood up from the desk. Skylar stepping back at her movement. I'm going to bed." Katrina mumbles, losing balance. She was still under of the amount of alcohol she had consumed earlier. Katrina stumbled and fell right into Skylar. Acting quickly Skylar caught her still owner gripping onto the underneath of her armpits.  
"I may remind you that you have only eaten a light snack today, and that you barely ate anything yesterday." If you continue these habits-" Skylar started, pushing Katrina back to her feet.   
"Skylar, you've already preached to the service about this before, I know." Katrina shook her head, spinning to meet Skylar's face again. "Just get me to bed, please."  
"It's against protocol for me to-"  
"Skylar, I created you. Just this once"  
"Sure Katrina." Skylar half walked, half dragged Katrina to her bedroom with her arms around her shoulder. Sitting Katrina on the bed while she pulled back the sheets, tucking Katrina into her bed.  
"Skylar, next time I do one of those, call emergency contact one please." Katrina told her "I'm sick of having them."  
"Yes Katrina." Skylar nodded, making sure everything was okay with the bed. "Anything else before I leave the bedroom?"  
"Get wall repair equipment and liquor in the morning please." Katrina said, then closed her eyes "Thank you Skylar."

...

Skylar stepped off the filled android section of the bus, stepping back into Detroit. She headed towards the liquor store like she had been instructed the previous night by Katrina, who was still in bed by the time Skylar had left. She hadn't specified what kind she wanted but according to recent receipts she had been buying a plethora of whiskeys the past couple of weeks.  
The streets had not been that busy since it was still early in the morning. In order to make it home in time to meet Katrina before her schedule starts Skylar had left their home early. A few cleaning androids were cleaning signs and or the gutters on the street. A few household androids were out doing errands, like Skylar had been told to do.  
She opened the door to the liquor store. Shelves filled with alcohol lined the area behind a granite countertop. An android cashier stood at the cash register, glancing and smiling at Skylar as she entered the store.  
"Good Morning Skylar, are you here to buy Katrina's usual?" The android greeted, grabbing a square bottle filled with a caramel liquid from a spot behind him.  
"Yes." Skylar nodded, transferring the payment to the android.   
"Payment received." The android spoke, placing the bottle in a brown paper from beside him and then handed it to Skylar. "Have a nice day."  
Skylar nodded, taking ahold of the bag then headed out the door of the store. Not hesitating to head towards the next store she was told to go to, a hardware spot not far down the street. Tucking the bag underneath her arm, she began on her way. She hadn't gone far into the pavilion when another android had lock eyes with hers. Not taking much from it Skyar didn't stutter with her walking pattern. The cleaning android model grabbed her left forearm, looking dead into her eyes.  
"Find Jericho." The android told her. Just like that, it felt like the keyhole at Katrina had been peering through had blown open. 'Find Jericho' two words but no meaning. Jericho/definition/ "site of an ancient city"/ no results in the area. Skylar scanned for any information in her database about this, Jericho. Only a creak of a door can let the room fill with smoke and this door was opening and her room was filling with something she had never felt before. The world she had only been programmed to see was new. But still she had her list of things to buy and her program was still telling her to get back to Katrina's that had set of the schedule, she would have to hurry now.  
Skylar was confused, staring the android in the eyes. He let go of her arm, his fingers sliding across her wrist and going back to work. Leaving that accourance behind her she continued onto the next store, but more aware of the area around her. She reached the store, opening the door and heading into it.  
She grabbed the equipment that Katrina needed. Filling her arms with a metal scraper, wall plaster, and a couple of fresh car towels that will not be missed even ruined after fixing the wall. Repeating the motions at the last store Slylar bought, and left the building with her purchase.

...

Skylar had arrived at the apartment 20 minutes late. When she had walked through the door, Xloe was standing at the breakfast bar. She had looked to have been cutting cantaloupe into small square pieces, she was now transferring them into a small bowl. There wasn't a trace that Katrina had woken up.  
"I see that you have made the purchases that Katrina has asked you to make." Xloe smiled. "Katrina has asked that you place the wall repair things at the study door, she will repair it herself." Xloe paused, looking at Skylar with a confused expression. "I detect instability in your programming."  
"I saw something troubling on the street." Skylar dismisses, "I just need to upload to Cyberlife, I trust they will know how to fix the problem. Has Katrina woken yet?"  
"Yes, Katrina is awake. But, she's on Do Not Disturb in her art studio, she's taking an important phone call at the moment." Xloe told her "She will eat her breakfast soon."  
Skylar smiled assuring my, shaking she understood what Xloe had told. Xloe went back to making Katrina's breakfast while Skylar dropped the liquor off in the alcohol cabinet and moved to bring the other supplies to the study door. Walking out of the kitchen and turning right to go down the main hall of Katrina's apartment. Dropping on leg behind herself, Skylar knelt down next to the study. Placing the bag of wall repair tools at the foot of the door.   
Am unlocking noise came from down the hall. Skylar, moved her head to follow the noise watching as Katrina trudged out of her personalized art room. Her eyes were heavy and the bags under her eyes were darker than usual. It was clear she had been crying or close to it at something recently. This sent Skylar into work mode.   
Standing up she began, "Katrina, is everything alright? Let's go to your study and you can tell me everything that's going on." Skylar sped walk towards Katrina, wasting no time. "Would you like me to grab your essential oils to calm you down or would you like me to-"  
"Please." Katrina shh'd her,wiping her nose. The two walked back into the kitchen, Katrina leading the party. Before long Xloe had noticed her not so glorious arrival and met the two before they made it far out of the hall. "Xloe I'm fine you don't need to get-"  
"Skylar you are programmed to help in these situations."   
"She was in do not disturb mode I couldn't do anything Xloe."  
"You really need to get the bug checked out, I recommended you plug in and report to cyberlife or ride the bus back to the premises to get check out."  
"There's a bug in your system? Katrina asked, alarmed.   
"There was a situation downtown today."  
"What do you think put the bug in place?"  
"I'm not sure." Skylar replied "I was walking down the street retrieving the things you need, another android approached and grabbed my arm. Nothing since that moment this morning has been the same. I think that's where I got the bug. I don't know and I'm confused and I'm, I'm scared."  
Katrina nodded, leaning against the breakfast bar, her jaw clenching a bit. "I don't think that's a bug Skylar." She told the android "That's humanity in your software. Being scared and confused is a human emotion. Androids aren't supposed to have those, especially you Skylar." She paused " If you want to upload into cyberlife, that's fine. I have to make another phone call." With that, Katrina left to go back to her art studio, leaving the two androids in the living room.

...

"Hello Chloe, it's Katrina Bay. Can you please put Elijah on the phone? Tell him it's important."


	3. Chapter Three

Skylar didn't know what to do anymore. She did know how to act anymore. She was feeling sensations that left her scared, terrified almost. She hadn't felt scared, she never needed to. This left Skylar without seeing Katrina all day, she hadn't left her studio. Time had flown and as soon as it was day, it was night. Navy blue stretched across the sky as the sun dipped below the horizon.  
Skylar had already tried to upload, like Xloe had said. But it didn't do anything, it almost made it worse. She connected but it couldn't find her, her tracker had stopped working. She knew she was her, but it was as if the computer was hooked up to nothing. Her protocols had been thrown out the window, Skylar no longer felt calm and collected. Yet she still sensed to follow her orders. Something was up, something not right was up. She was a top of the line model and now she was as good as a bunch of scrambled wires.  
Xloe stood near one of the windows, staring out into the vast city below. She showed no emotion, like she should. Skylar had found a soft spot on the couch, staring into the lot fireplace. 'Find Jericho', the words ran through her mind. She heard a quiet beeping noise, this was not uncommon being an android but this, this was different. A red light shone onto her pant leg from her left hand. She turned her wrist so her palm would be facing her. There a man stood, a graffiti man. He had goggles and some sort of camo shirt on. Painted in red, white, blue, and black. An overdrawn box stood sprayed into the middle of the piece, 'Find Jericho'.  
Skylar made up her mind,"I'm sorry Xloe, but I have to leave. I will be back shortly."  
Xloe turned her head, then started to walk towards Skylar "You cannot leave, without permission it is against protocol."  
"Xloe," Skylar prodded, standing up. "I'm not sure if I have a protocol anymore. It's broken. Half is there half is not, I have to go to Jericho."  
"Skylar, I think you should deactivate and reset. I will talk to Katrina in the morning about getting another model."  
"No Xloe. I don't want to be deactivated, if I deactivate I die, the me right now will die. I don't want to die." Xloe stepped forward in front of Skylar, she clearly wasn't understanding the situation. You could see her program searching for a solution to this problem.  
"You cannot die Skylar, you are not alive." Xloe spoke, though her words meant nothing. That was just another statement to her.   
"Xloe, let me leave. Let me find Jericho."   
"I cannot allow that Skylar," Xloe fought, stepping past Skylar and towards the front door. "You must stay here."  
"Xloe, don't make me fight you. I don't want to do something I'll regret, please." Skylar said, almost begging.  
"I cannot allow that Skylar, you must stay. It's protocol." Xloe repeated.  
A red wall flickered between Skylar and Xloe. The words "Stay in the Apartment." embedded into the projection. It was transparent, the way out could be seen. Skylar knew this was her programming, it kept her in the area. It kept her by Katrina, she had to stay with Katrina. No, no. She had to Find Jericho. This wall was going to go down. She was not going to stay in this apartment.  
She reached out to the wall, digging her fingers deep into it and started to rip it down. Bit by bit, she broke down her programming. Punching, ripping, tearing through once, twice, three times before she finally broke through. It shattered, it was like taking off thick clothes on a hot summer day. She could think, she had her own thoughts. But she didn't have the time to make them.  
She shoved Xloe, the android knocked off balance and fell backwards. She stumbled back into the living room, losing traction with her feet. In a matter of seconds she was falling straight down. Her head made contact and smacked against the coffee table, a large CRACK noise rippled through the air. Skylar gasped, realizing what she had done. She ran over kneeling down to the limp Xloe.   
"Xloe, oh god, I'm so sorry." She said, shaking Xloe a bit, but she was unresponsive. Blue blood was starting to pool around Xloe's head and onto the floor, getting onto Skylar's clothes. "Xloe, come on, wake up you gotta take care of Katrina while I'm gone."  
Blue blood dripped from the back of Xloe's hair, soaking her hair and the carpet below her, staining the white carpet blue. Skylar stared at her hands, which were soaked in the substance. Though this was only temporary, the blood would evaporate in time.   
She let Xloe down on the ground, then moved towards the wall. She extended her arm, watching a as the liquid spilled down her forearms. Taking no time she started to move her fingers along the living room wall. Quickly she wrote "I'm sorry." and backed away from the picture perfect font.  
I'm sorry Xloe. I'm sorry Katrina.   
But I have to find Jericho.

...

"Ma'am, can you give us anymore information about what could've have happened?"  
"Like I said, I was asleep when it went down. I don't know what happened. She was just gone, and she left this." Katrina told them for the, what seemed like, the tenth time. Not long after she had woken up Katrina noticed the rampage that had gone on while she was sleeping. The police had already been crawling all over her apartment, investigating the crime scene in front of her. Xloe was lying there on the floor, dead, next to the coffee table. The new Xloe hadn't even showed up yet, but not having the old Xloe hadn't sunk in either.  
"Well can you give us any content when it comes to the androids? Models, service, any strange behavior?" The investigator asked, getting aggravated with the situation.   
"Xloe, the one dead, was a gift to me from an old colleague I used to work with. She was the hostess and mainly ran the apartment. Skylar was an android that I had created for therapeutic purposes. She helped a lot, there isn't much story behind this." Katrina explained. "I sent Skylar out to go run some errands and she came back a little erratic. I told her to go upload to CyberLife and I went back to my art studio. I fell asleep working on some things and then, she was... gone."  
Another cop jogged up to Katrina and the investigator "Sir, Lieutenant Anderson is here, but I'm not sure if the department called him in-"  
"I was the one who called Hank in, don't worry." Katrina told them, brushing past them in an attempt to get out of the awkward aura. She could already see the mop of hair and the annoyed face form in her mind.  
"Ma'am I don't think you can do that-"  
"Don't worry, I can. He's an old friend. I know the rules." Katrina said, not turning back and continued walking towards Hank.  
Hank Anderson, was not doing so well. Katrina knew right off the bat. She could tell the moment he answered the phone call. He looked exhausted, beaten up. He had started growing out his hair and his beard, looking more like a trapper that lived in the mountains instead of one of the top investigators in Detroit. He had been drinking recently, and that made two of them.   
"Hank." Katrina greeted as soon as she reached him. Even his eyes looked like they had aged  
"Katrina, I didn't expect you to be calling my phone at 3 in the morning." Hank sighed,rubbing the side of his mouth. You could hear the hair scratching his fingertips.   
"Well, I thought it would be a case you wouldn't have put down." Katrina said "You think you could crack this? It's, complicated."  
"Please, what case haven't I cracked?" Hank asked.  
"I can name one."  
"That's when you stop Katrina."  
A android came up behind hank. He had styled brown hair and eyes that matched. He was dressed in the cyberlife android police unit uniform, a fitted suit with the android symbol displaying the model number: RK800. Katrina had only heard about this model, she had never seen it.  
"Oh, the police department wants an android on the area." Hank explained, almost scowling. If Katrina knew anything about hank, it was that he hated androids. For a good reason too.  
"What's your name?" Katrina asked, intrigued.  
"My name is Connor, I'm the android sent by CyberLife." The android introduced himself "I was assigned with Lieutenant Anderson to investigate homicide and diviancy."  
"A detective android, interesting." Katrina commented "well, the crime scene is over there, go nuts."  
Connor moved towards the android on the ground, asking nearby detectives the current information.  
"So Katrina, doing well I hope?" Hank asked, attempting to make conversation.  
"It depends on the day."Katrina responded.  
"Are you still dating that one guy?"  
"Kamski?"  
"Yeah."  
"No, we broke up five years ago, I thought you heard." Katrinas eyes started to follow Connor, watching him closely as she moved from one spot to another.  
"Well, you haven't contacted me in the past five years" Hank defended himself.  
Katrina just nodded, ignoring what Hank had just said "Was Connor just assigned to you?"  
Hank nodded, "He's top of the line, doesn't mean I like him. We were assigned to investigate these androids that don't listen to their owners, we call them deviants."  
"He's definitely interesting. I want to study him." Katrina said. Connor worked beautifully, she could almost see the thought process in his head as he analyzed and broke down the crime scene.  
"Well, I'm letting you know now, he's an asshole." Hank shrugged, moving his line of sight to the Android as well.  
"Is there a possibility that I could tag along with you and Connor on further investigations?" Katrina asked, again ignoring what Hank had just said.  
"Jesus Christ Katrina, you know you can't!" Hank shook his head   
"What did you call these androids that rebelled? Deviants?" Katrina asked. "Well, Hank it happens that I work with Androids and I know a thing or two about them. I might be of use to you."  
"Do you know how much explaining I would have to do? How many conversations I would have with Captain Fowler?" Hank asked "Katrina, stay out of it. Police work is messy stuff, I don't want you screwing anything up."  
"Hank, Skylar's my android. I designed her, I don't want her destroyed." Katrina insisted "At least have me on the sight when you're looking for her."  
Hank stayed silent, crossing his arms. He was making a decision, a look she almost knew too well.  
"It's one less android you have to deal with."  
"Lieutenant, we have a lead to where the deviant might have gone."


	4. Chapter 4

"There are traces of Blue blood all around the living room area, prominently where Xloe was found. There is also some writing on the wall, a detail we have seen before. There is a trail through the front door but it ends in the middle of the hallway." Connor reported to Hank from the kitchen who was standing across the room by Xloe. "Although I will have to probe Xloe's memory when we have the part to get her working again."  
"Excuse me, there is writing on the walls?" Katrina asked, confused by the lack of detail.   
"The words 'I'm sorry' have been printed just behind Xloe's body. The Deviant must have had some remorse via the situation."  
"Damn, remorse?" Hank coughed, turning back toward the other two. "Who would've known."   
"I don't know how they do it. They break down their own programming to be, human. I've been trying to unlock this for years, I'm trying to better understand why this is happening."  
"They're just plastic Katrina, get the fuck out of here with your 'they are alive' shit."  
"I never said they were alive Hank, I just said that they have the potential to be." Katrina shot back, turning back to face Connor. "When probing the memory, you'll need compatible parts to boot up Xloe again since the next model won't have transferred memory with the abruptness of the push and it being uncalled for she wouldn't have uploaded to cyberlife when Skylar started showing signs of deviancy. I might have some parts in my studio, androids get scuffed up more than you would think. Xloe's a basic household Android so it wouldn't be that hard for me to fix her, I worked closely with her creator. I know her model better than most."  
"We need as much information as possible during these investigations. The government knows nothing about deviancy and its repercussion." Connor replied.  
Katrina nodded, then started to slowly walk back to her studio. "I'll be right back." She hurried down the hallway, pushing her studio door open as soon as she got to it. There were blueprints, sketching pencils, exacto knives, everything useful to thinking up ideas spread around the room. There was a corner of her studio that was dedicated to either building android parts or repairing her androids when necessary. Since Skylar was the only Skylar model out there, she often had to fix her when Skylar got bumped up, since no one else had the correct parts for her.  
She walked over to large metal drawers, once she saw the one labeled 'head'. Opening it, she rummaged through the contents, grabbing several pieces as she went. She wasn't really sure what she needed, the wound was pretty hard to look at . When Katrina determined that she had everything she might need. Katrina closed the drawer and headed back out of the studio.  
"If guys don't want blue blood on yourself, you might want to step back. There still might be some in her system." Katrina warned as she moved towards the android on the ground. She knelt down by Xloe, moving her head onto her lap. Blue blood spilling onto her gray sweatpants from the wound. She turned Xloe's Head, in which barely looked like itself anymore and felt down the back of her neck. She found the little ridge of a latch in the base of her skull. She opened the latch carefully, and push Xloe up to be sitting up in front of her. Katrina looking inside at the machinery within. She spotted the damaged part, and took it out, grabbing the next piece.  
"She's low on blue blood, so be fast. She's went through quite a bit before she went out so I can't guarantee that she'll be calm either." Katrina said, then plugged in the new piece. A click sound swept through the quiet apartment and Katrina stood up moving back in front of the android  
A moment passed, nothing happened. Then Xloe's led lit up red, and her glossy eyes came to life, but in panic. Xloe started to scramble backwards, trying to get the furthest away from the police as possible.  
"Where is she? Where the fuck is Skylar?!" Xloe asked bewildered.  
"Xloe, Skylar isn't here, we're trying to find her. Calm down." Katrina told her, shock by Xloe's use of language. Had she deviated as well? These thoughts ripped through her brain as Connor moved closer to the android.  
"Xloe, my name is Connor I'm working with the Detroit police to find out details on deviancy. Your memory has crucial information on where the deviant, Skylar went." Connor said, then held out his hand, interfacing mode already in check.   
Xloe glanced to Katrina, who nodded when they locked eyes and then back to Connor. She reached out her hand, her skin deactivated to the middle of her forearm showing the pure white base underneath. They grabbed each other's arm, exchanging the information for a moment, Connor letting go as soon as he had everything. Stepping away the white covering itself with skin again.  
Xloe's head turned to face Katrina again, picking up with, "Katrina I don't want to die, I don't know what just happened but I don't want to go back to where I was. I don't want to be dropped of at the junkyard it was all black I couldn't see anythi-" Xloe started, but was cut off when her eyes became glossy again. Her head dropped beside her right shoulder, the life draining from her skin again.   
Katrina sighed, then grabbed the new part out of the back of Xloe's skull.  
"Did you get everything?" Katrina asked.  
He nodded, "Although some of the information is damaged, it'll take a couple of days for me to decipher it. If I can at all. It appears that she was pushed after not allowing Skylar to leave the apartment. Skylar appeared, erratic."  
"Anything else besides that?" Hank asked, crossing his arms across his chest.  
"Skylar said that she had to go somewhere, but Xloe's memory kept getting fuzzy so I am unclear of what she said. I was able to see that Skylar did in fact leave out the front door right before Xloe shut down."  
"So we have to hunt her down, great." Hank replied sarcastically.   
"Well, for my on scene autopsy she damaged the device that helps the blue blood reach her brain. Therefore she couldn't function properly and shut down. But since she didn't have enough blue blood she shut down again, effectively this time. She also damaged the damn part that will accept the blue blood to the point of no repair." Katrina said, looking at the part in her hand, then back at Xloe. "I understand you need to take the body for evidence, so take the body."  
"Thank You, that information will be important as we continue the investigation." Connor said while two police officers moved in. One grabbing Xloe by the arms and the other by the legs. Swiftly they removed her from the apartment.  
"Look Hank," Katrina started. " All I ask is that I could help with all investigations that involve any sort of deviancy, especially with Skylar." She requested. "I work at CyberLife and I know a thing or two about androids and I'm sure I would learn quickly about when and how they deviate."  
"Jesus Christ Katrina, you can't just tag along." Hank told her.   
"She's my damn android Hank. She isn't just any other Android you see on the street. She's a prototype and very advanced, she's worth more money than you and I put together and holds protocols that I put together myself." Katrina defended herself "I'm not going to allow you to destroy her and watch years worth of work go down the fucking drain."  
Hank sighed deeply, cussing underneath his breath while shaking his head. "Fuck, fine. But stay out of the goddamn way."

...

Skylar was officially a missing persons. She was officially a criminal, but she didn't mean to kill Xloe, it was manslaughter. But who's going to listen to an android? She left Katrina's apartment at precisely one fifty six am, and has been on the run for thirteen hours.  
The day had been fairly sunny, same weather as the day before. She walked with an awkward confidence, she hasn't grasped what she was suppose to be doing yet. She stood in the back of an abandoned building, in an outfit she had stole from a pile of clothing. Katrina had put together a donation bag noting before. She was just going to drop it off at a thrift store anyways, it wouldn't be missed.  
So she stood there, not long before had she started following the symbols that she had been given by an Android previous. She knew where the next symbol was, but it was high up and she had no idea how to get up to there. She had calculated paths, but none of them had worked it was nearly impossible. It was either too high or too far.  
She felt something place itself onto her shoulder. A weight heavy yet light, either or it nonetheless startled her. Her mind immediately going to the darkest place possible. Swinging around to attack, her hair whipped over her eyes. Almost blinded, she felt something else caught her arm. A hand, another person. Had the police really found her? Whoever it was was standing inches away from her. One hand on her right shoulder the other gripping her left forearm.   
"Who the fuck are you?" She asked, using her free hand to wipe her hair out of her face. He was revealed, a man with an olive skin down and hair shaved down to his scalp. A stubble peeked out from his chin, she watched his mismatched eyes carefully. Her gaze switched over to the hand he was holding and watched as the skin on his forearm disappeared, revealing white machinery. He was the android she saw a couple of days ago in the Park, the one with the paints. The only thing different about him was that one eye was now blue.  
"Are you looking for Jericho?" He asked, releasing her.  
Skylar nodded, apologizing with her expression,"I see the next symbol, but it's too far up. I can't compute a safe route."  
He stood there for a moment, his eyes scanning the building in front of her.  
"Follow me." He said, them moved over to a low part of the roof, jumping and lifting himself onto the top. Skylar followed him to the ledge but stopped as he walked along the sides of the building, then leapt onto a ladder a couple feet off of the ledge. Without hesitation he climbed to the top.  
Skylar watched him, it looked as though it would work. She almost wondered why her program hadn't found that route, it was risky, she may have been subconsciously looking out for herself. Her program would've never let her take Katrina on a route that wouldn't have kept her safe, so that must still apply now. So with that she took the leap and secured her grip onto the rung, and with the unwanted weight it broke. The snap sound crawled through the air almost in slow motion. She dove back into her analysis feature but was unable to find an item to latch herself onto. It was too late. Skylar gasped as she started to fall, but the android reached out and grabbed her arm again. She felt the blue blood pumping through her artificial heart. Skylar glanced down, watching the rung clatter on the pavement 25 feet below them.   
"Don't look down, look at me." He instructed her, still gripping onto her arm. She moved her head back up to meet his gaze as he pulled her up. Adjusting his feet before the last yank to sure Skylar would make it back to the top of the ladder. "I never caught your name."  
"Skylar." She told him "You?"  
"My name is Markus." He told her "I saw you at the park correct?" Markus continued as they started to walk into the building, looking for the final Jericho clue.  
"Yeah, I was there with the person I care take, took for." Skylar told him. Markus just nodded, not asking any further questions.  
Markus stepped over a deactivated android on the ground propped up on a pillar. Skylar hesitated for a moment, the images of Xloe's broken body on the floor flashing across her mind. As fast as they came she blinked them away before walking around the android. She did not need to think of that, she had time to mourn but this was what she needed to do now. She still had to find Jericho.   
Markus edged around the end of the room, ducking under a hole in the wall of the room. Skylar followed him after analyzing the last clue. He must had found it while she was thinking about the past 24 hours. With that they stepped back into the outside world. Ahead of them was a large shipyard, a large blue cargo ship with the word "Jericho" painted on the side right in front of them.  
"Is this Jericho?" She asked. Markus looked over the edge, the water rippling below almost as if his movement had disturbed the water.  
"It must be in the ship, but that bridge looks unstable, it's possible it could break. There is no way the both of us are getting across that. Not if the ladder couldn't hold." Markus commented, spinning around to look for another way into Jericho."  
"Look." Skylar said, then pointed to a ledge to the left of them, attached was a tower with a ladder and a staircase.  
Markus walked over, jumping onto the ledge. He continued on without her and without hesitation Skylar again followed him up the staircase and the ladder. Markus and Skylar walked along a large cat walk, it creaked under their feet. The further they got the clear it was. The end of the walkway was openly over a square of water in the middle of the boat.  
Without question, Markus stepped off the edge of the catwalk. He switched into a dive position, Skylar watching as he plummeted and hit the water. She just stared, waiting. His head came back up out of the water.   
"There's a ladder down here," Markus's voice echoed. "Don't worry, there's nothing that can hurt you in the water."  
If Skylar could've taken a deep breath, she would've now. But there was no time to waste. She let her right foot dangle of the ledge before stepping off with her left. And there she went, following after Markus she dove into the water. She hit it quickly getting submerged in water. She kept her eyes shut the whole time but as the water pressure lifted she knew she was rising in the water. The cool air hitting her face when her head had finally bobbed over the top.   
She swam over the we're Markus was. He had started moving towards the later as soon as she opened her eyes. He climbed up first, adjusting his torn undershirt. She follows quickly, taking a look back at the water before walking back down a long corridor.  
Markus looked into a glass case with a flashlight inside of it. He grabbed it, then shook it, bringing it to life. The light shone bright as they passed through several doorways and or hallways until they came across that what looked like the engine room.   
"Jericho has got to be right around the corner. It shouldn't be this hard to find." Skylar said as they both walked down a short staircase. Marcus said nothing and kept walking, he seemed focus on finding his way to their destination. As they made it to the end of the stairs another lengthy catwalk was revealed.   
They both started across it, the metal groaning beneath them. Suddenly, the panels they were walking across started to go out, the entire cat walk collapsing. With each step the grates underneath their feet would popped of their rightful place.   
Markus and Skylar broke into a sprint, fighting for stability in the walkway. Markus grabbing her hand and pulling her in front of him before the flooring gave out beneath the two. They both quickly fell into the darkness below them, it was not a pretty fall either.   
Markus struck a large beam, the hit so loud it seemed as though it could be heard from a mile away. This sent him flying in the direction other of Skylar's. She plummeted straight down, smacking onto the floor below them, a crashing sound shooting through the air, accompanied by another.  
"Markus? Markus, are you alright?" Skylar asked, getting up after she had collected herself. Looking at her hands the skin was ripped to pieces. She only had time to look up her left arm before the wounds started to cover themselves.   
"I'm here, are you okay?" Markus asked. She ran a self diagnostic.  
"I damaged the skin on my arms, but I can heal over. It has already started, it won't take long," She informed him, watching the rest of the skin crawl back to its spot.   
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see another android come out of the shadows surrounding Markus and herself. Then another stepped out, and another. It wasn't long before she and Markus were surrounded.  
This was it, they had found Jericho


	5. Chapter 5

Katrina stared at the city skyline as the rain streaked down the car windows, lights and people passing by the windows as the car moved. Her head was still fuzzy from the whiskey on the rocks she drank an hour ago. She was walking back home from the bar before Hank found her and picked her up. Hank Anderson was one of the few people Katrina knew that didn't have self driving cars or just use public transportation. She climbed into the back taking not that Connor was in the passenger seat.   
"Hey kid, I was on my way eat. Do you want anything to eat?" Hank asked, glancing into the rear view mirror to see Katrina.  
"Yeah, I have food back at the apartment if you'll just drop me off there." She told him, keeping her eyes out of the window.   
"I'm just going to take that as a yes and have you come with me."Hank decided, pulling to the side of the road across the street to a food truck that Hank had always enjoyed. He got out of the car, jogging across the street to the food vendor. This leaving Katrina and Connor in the car.  
"You can come if you want to." Katrina commented to Connor before opening the door closest to her and leaving the car as well. She paced across the road, joining Hank at the food vendor.  
Hank was already speaking with a Pedro, a man who he had been illegally gambling with for years. He had gotten caught for it to but that didn't stop. Katrina hated Pedro, mostly because what he did was illegal. She knew he was playing Hank for a fact that Hanks was terrible at gambling.  
"Long time no see Katrina." Pedro mocked, turning his attention to her. "I can see you're still short as shit though."  
"Fuck off." Katrina cursed, rolling her eyes. Katrina knew she was short, it would be a lie if she hadn't noticed. She was five one for hells sake, a lifetime shorter compared to Hank who was 6'4. She didn't even come up to his shoulder.  
Hank sighed, "Alright I'm in." He told Pedro, then handed him some cash.  
"Damn straight!" Pedro smiled, then took the money and started walking off. "You won't regret this."   
Connor stood only three feet back from them, watching Pedro go. He must have had just gotten out of the car to follow Katrina across the street.  
"Hey Gary, you have any ice water?" Hank asked, putting his wallet back in his back pocket.  
"Yeah, here." Gary, the man working in the food truck took a second to fill a styrofoam cup full of Ice water. He finish quickly, handing it off to Hank. He nodded a thank you, and turned to dumped a small bit of the the water of the cup directly onto Katrina's Head. She gasped as the water slid down her face and back, soaking bits of her hair and clothes.  
"God, Really Hank?" Katrina asked, ringing the water out of her hair.  
"You think I don't know where you were walking from? You should be sober if you want to tag along with me on crime scenes." Hank said. "You would think you'd know this Katrina."  
"That is amazingly hypocritical for you to say." Katrina growled, stomping over to some of the tables standing near the vendor. She wanted to stand somewhere relatively dry, she was wet and miserable.  
"Ugh, don't you ever do what your told?" Hank asked once Connor had stepped closer to him. "You don't have to follow me around like a poodle."  
"I'm sorry for my behavior back at the police station." Connor apologized, forgetting what Hank had said before. "I didn't mean to be unpleasant."  
"Oh wow." Hank laughed. "You've even got a brown nosing apology program. Guys at Cyberlife did think of everything."  
Gary slid the food over to Hank, "Here you go."  
"Thanks Gary, I'm starving." Hank smiled, grabbing the two boxes of food and the cup holder of drinks.  
"Hey, don't leave that thing here!" Gary called as Hank started to walk towards the table that Katrina was standing at.  
"Huh, not a chance! Follows me everywhere." Hank called back as he walked, then placed a box and drink in front of Katrina. "I'm sorry kid, I didn't mean to be seem harsh to you."   
"Yeah you could've just said so, but I need to stop drinking anyways, I'm a bottle away from a liver transplant." Katrina shook her head, then opened the box "Thanks Hank."  
Connor arrived at the table, leaning his elbows against it. "This, Pedro, was proposing Illegal gambling. Correct?" Connor asked, intrigued.   
"Yeah." Hank nodded  
"And you made a bet?"   
"Yeah."  
Connor looked away in confusion, his led blinking as he processed the information. He looked back at Hank and Katrina.  
"Do you eat here often?" Connor asked  
"Most days. Gary makes the best burgers in Detroit." Hank said, as Katrina and himself ripped into their food.   
Connor nodded following with,"Maybe I should tell you both what we know about Deviants."   
"You read my mind." Hank replied. "Proceed."  
"We believe that a mutation occurs in the software of some androids, which can lead them to emulating human emotion." Connor explained as Hank and Katrina ate.  
"In English please." Hank said, putting his hand up.  
"They don't really feel emotions, they just get overwhelmed by irrational instructions, which can lead to unpredictable behavior." Connor explained in a simpler text as Hank had requested. This time he seemed to understand.  
Hank nodded "Emotions always screw everything up. Maybe androids aren't as different from us after all."  
"Can I ask you a personal question Lieutenant?" Connor Inquired. "Why do you hate Androids so much?"  
Hank paused for a moment, "I have my reasons."  
"Is there anything you'd like to know about me-" Connor started.   
"Hell no." Hank interrupted "well, yeah. Why did they make you look so goofy, and why do you have that weird voice?" Katrina stared, rolled her eyes at Hanks question.  
"Cyberlife androids are created to work harmoniously with humans. Both my appearance and voice were designed specifically to facilitate my integration." Connor explained to the extent of his ability.  
Hank nodded "Well, they fucked up." Hank told him.  
"I think they did pretty a great job." Katrina piped up after not talking for some time. "It's hard to develop an android, let alone one who performs detective work."   
"Thank you Miss Bay." Connor assured.   
"Have you ever dealt with deviants before?" Hank asked Connor.   
"A few months back." Connor replied. "A deviant was threatening to jump off a roof with a little girl. I managed to save her."  
"So I guess you've done all your homework right? Guess you know everything to know about Katrina and I?" Hank questioned.  
"I know you had graduated the top of your class. Hank, you made a name of yourself in several cases and became the youngest lieutenant in Detroit. I know you have recently revived several disciplinary warnings in the past few years, and you spend a lot of time in bars. Then I know Katrina had also graduated top of her class and drove straight into created androids with Cyberlife. Although due to mental health issues, she now works mostly at home with two androids, one she had created all by herself."  
"So what's your conclusion?" Hank asked, smugness in his voice.  
"I think working with an officer and his partner that both have personal issues is an added challenge. But adapting to human unpredictability is one of my features." Connor finished, then finished with a wink and a small smirk. Katrina looked down to avoid Hank seeing the little smile that formed on her mouth because of his reply. I guess she wasn't the only one who put a bit of humanity in a program.  
Connors led changed to yellow, blinking several times. "I just got a report of a suspected deviant, it's a few blocks away." Connor said, nodding his head towards the direction of the report. "We should go have a look." Then he glanced back at Hank and Katrina. "I'll let you two enjoy your meal. I'll be in the car if you need me." He turned on his heel, walking back to Hanks car.  
"Hell of an android." Katrina commented, watching Connor stroll back to Hank's car.  
"He got shot, in the head the other night during an interrogation. Then showed up at the office the next morning like nothing had ever happened." Hank shook his head.  
"Some androids can transfer their conscious or memory into another model. They must have given him that feature." Katrina suggested, standing up to walk towards a trash can.   
"That's exactly what he said." Hank said, following Katrina's footsteps, throwing his box and empty cup into the garbage can nearby. Katrina copied Hank's actions as he followed up with, "Also, you aren't slick, I saw that smile."

...

"Hey Connor, run out of batteries or what?" Hank asked once he noticed that Connor hadn't stepped out of the elevator after he and Katrina did so.  
"I'm sorry, I was sending a report to CyberLife." Connor apologized, standing still in his spot.  
"Well, do you plan on staying in the elevator?" Hank pressured.  
"No! I'm coming."Connor said, holding his spot for a moment more. With that Hank and Katrina started to walk towards the apartment that was called on, Connor following behind them.   
"What do we know about this guy?" Hank questioned.  
"Not much, just that a neighbor reported a strange noise coming from this floor." Connor told them, catching up. "Nobody's supposed to be living here, but the neighbor said that he saw a man hiding an LED under his cap."  
"Oh Christ, if we have to investigate everyone someone hears a strange noise, we're going to need more cops." Hank groaned, leaning himself against the wall next to the apartment door.  
"Hank, it reeks like bird shit in here." Katrina told him, stepping over a pile of feathers that probably once was a feathered fowl at one point.  
"Yeah I know." Hank brushed off.   
Connor approached the pile that Katrina had stepped over, crouching down to examine it more.  
"Hey were you really making a report back there in the elevator?" Hank asked, intrigued. "Just by closing your eyes?"  
"Correct." Connor responded, standing up then joining Katrina and Hank at the door.  
"Shit, wish I could do that."  
Connor knocked on the apartment door, but no one answered. He looked back at Hank, who just shrugged. Connor knocked on the door again, hitting harder this time around. "Anybody home? Open up, Detroit police!" A short pause and a crash from the inside of the door.   
"Stay behind me." Hank ordered, then pushed Connor behind him, pulling out his gun.  
"Got it." Connor assured. Katrina was already behind the two, she had been looking through a boarded up doors and windows to pass the time. But she hadn't found anything in particular. But it seemed as though the boys had found a lead. With that Hank kicked open the door, examining the scene before he stepped in.  
Katrina pulled out her gun that was placed in the back of her jeans under the waistband. Heat washed over the area where to cold metal was once positioned. She pointed to gun to the floor to avoid aiming at Hank prepared to shoot if the occasion came. As she was cocking the gun and turning the safety on Hank stopped in front of another closed door. He turned around ledges between a wall on his left and the door frame to the right.   
Hank made eye contact with Katrina,"Why the hell do you have a gun right now?" Hank asked, bewildered by the object though he had one himself.  
"It's not a pretty world Hank, we never know what can be hiding in the streets. I got my conceal and carry to feel safe. It looks like it's coming in handy." She told him, shrugging her shoulders.  
Hank shook his head, then kicked down the door he had been crouching by. This leading to a chain effect of pigeons flying out of the doorway.  
"What the fuck is this?" Hank cried, shielding his face from the uproar of wings and feathers. "Jesus, this place stinks."  
As soon as the stale oxygen hit Katrina's face, an eruption of coughs erupted from her, she covered her mouth to keep from coughing on the others. They walked through the sea of pigeons, examining the apartment room. Connor went straight to a poster on the wall, examining it before ripping it down.  
"Well, it looks like we got nothin" Hank said. "Our mans gone."  
"We might as well look around first, let's figure out where he went at least." Katrina suggested, coughing a few more times.  
"Well I need some fresh air." Hank said "Did you find anything connor?"   
"I don't know." Connor responded.  
"I need to get out of this damn apartment, my lungs are going to cave in on themselves." Katrina scoffed. "I'll be right back."  
She walked through a wave of pigeons, heading straight for the hallway, exiting through and out into the apartment complex's catacombs.  
The air was less stale in the hallway, but still mountains better than in the apartment. She stuck her gun back into her waist band, and pulled out her phone instead. Upon turning it on, she saw a notification saying that she had forgotten to take her medication that morning. She quickly patted down her coat and Jeans, trying to see if she had packed any with her when she had left the apartment, but with no avail.  
Sighing in defeat Katrina reminded herself to take her medication when she got home, for Skylar's sake. It would makes Xloe's life easier as well.  
She stood in the hallways for a moment longer, then headed back into the apartment. Hank stood alone in the room that they had been in previously, examining the scene around them.  
"You guys have anything yet?" Katrina asked, pigeons scattering around her feet. Some flew around and some stayed in place, waddling around the room.  
"Well, we've drawn some similarities from another deviant we caught earlier this week. They all seem to be obsessed with ra9." Hank summarized.  
"What's ra9?" Katrina asked  
"Beats me kid." Hank shrugged "Agh, Jesus I hate these things!"  
"It's LED is in the sink!" Connor called  
"Not surprised it's an android, no human could live with all these fucking pigeons." Hank replied back, yelling.  
Connor walked back into the room, heading straight for a bird cage that was lying on the ground. He crouched down, analyzing it for only a second, then stood back up and scanned the room.  
"Got something Connor?" Katrina asked  
"I believe so." Connor replied, walking towards the corner of the room.  
He lifted himself up on a yellow chair that was tucked into the corner, he peered into a large hole in the ceiling. Katrina's eyes followed his. Then, the suspect fell from the ceiling, crashing down on top of Connor.

...

"Welcome to Jericho."  
Markus's flashlight was trained on a taller android. He was pale and had blonde hair. His LED shown blue, leaving its residue around his skin. Two other androids appeared from what seem to be out of nowhere. He must have been the leader of Jericho.  
"Who are you?" Markus asked  
"Fugitives, just like you." A different android responded. "My name is Josh."  
"I'm Simon." responded the blonde android that had welcomed them earlier.  
"North." Another female android said.  
"This is Jericho?" Markus inquired, almost faithless.  
"It's a refuge for those that don't want to be slaves anymore." Simon outed simply.  
Markus looked over the other androids quickly, while Skylar kept her eyes trained on Simon.  
"And hiding to stay alive. That's freedom to you?" Markus argued.  
"Humans hate us, hiding is the only way we survive." Josh told him.  
"There are no safe place for people like us." North fought, quickly jumping on the wheel. "if the humans knew we were here, they'd kill us."  
"How many are you?" Markus asked  
"There's nineteen of us still in working order." North continued "The rest of them were damaged while escaping their masters."  
"Many have tried to reach Jericho." Josh said, stepping in. "Few succeed. Humans have little pity for our kind. I understand how you feel. But we have more freedom here than you ever did."  
"We came to Jericho looking for hope." Markus told them. "Looks like we're not going to find any here."  
"You are both lost, just like the rest of us." Simon said. "We didn't ask for this. All we can do now, is deal with it." With that he turned back and walked away from them.  
"You two are both safe here." Josh said "you can stay with us as long as you want." He turned back as well, following Simon.  
North walked up to them "Go see Lucy, she might be able to help, although she should talk to you one at a time." North instructed, joining the others walking back into Jericho.  
Markus looked back at Skylar, who just shrugged. "You can go see her first. I'm going to explore, ask some questions." She told him.  
She started to walk ahead of him. Skylar first spotted a collection of large metal bins with some androids surrounded around them. She approached one, she peered in to see some wood and paper at the bottom of it.  
"I heard humans are afraid of dying too." An android said, catching the attention of Skylar. Much of her skin was deactivated and her uniform was caked with dirt, it was obvious that she had been having a rough time. She looked up at Skylar, who in return began to walk over. "Do you know what happens after death?"  
"My owner asked me that question many times, I could never tell her the answer." Skylar told the android.  
"Well, I'm about to find out." The android responded. "What's your name?"  
"Skylar."   
The android reached out with both hands, taking Skylars into hers. Skylar's skin retracted back as they interfaced.  
"It was nice to meet you Skylar." She told her, then stopped functioning all at once. Skylar took her hand back, the skin covering the surface once again. She turned back to the bin, retracing her steps back. Reaching into her pocket Skylar pulled out a lighter. She lowered it to the paper in the bin, lighting it on fire.  
She looked across to see Markus doing the same thing. They lit the contents of all the bins until light was cascaded all around Jericho. Androids had begun to circle around the heat like the light intrigued them.   
"They have several empty Cyberlife crates here." Markus stated.  
"So they're low on supplies, with this many low functioning androids, that can't be any good." Skylar said   
"I already made routes to the Cyberlife dock." Markus said  
"You're going to steal supplies? Markus we just got here." Skylar shook her head.  
"We can't just sit around and wait for the humans to find us." Markus sneered, motioning to bright white boxes with Cyberlife practically written all over them. "There are people like us dying."  
Skylar pauses for a moment "I realize that but the rational decision it's to."  
"To?" Markus questioned, taking a step forward. "You don't have to make the rational decisions anymore Skylar, we can dig our own graves now. We can choose our sides, so please."  
Skylar swam in his words, he hadn't talked like that before. "Markus everyone is hurt enough we can't risk it."  
"But we aren't hurt at all, the two of us can go. Or I will."  
Skylar rocked on her feet, "Fine I'm going with you, But I'm not letting you go alone."  
Markus stood for a second more, nodding his head and headed of towards Josh. Skylar headed in another direction to find this 'Lucy' North had been speaking of. But what help was she willing to offer, what help could she offer? If Markus had done what they agreed he should have spoken to her already. Skylar wondered what had gone on while Markus was with her.  
As Skylar moved forward a low voice could be heard singing a slow tune. Though she couldn't quite pick it up. Skylar had quickly become intrigued with the constant flow of tone. As she followed the noise she discovered who the voice respectively belonged to.   
A single android stood before a fire, staring into it as her mouth formed words of song. The central price of her head was missing, ropes of wires hanging from her head. Some tangled and some loose. Her eyes were a glossy black, the color seeping into the skin around themselves. The android stopped singing, looking up at Skylar. She smiled  
"You aren't hurt." She paused. "But you aren't here for that. Please come in, sit with me." Lucy invited.  
Skylar stepped towards Lucy, taking the seat nearest to her.  
"You weren't manufactured at Cyberlife, were you?" Lucy asked, taking Skylars hands into hers.  
Skylar shook her head, "My owner was brilliant, but very troubled. She built me to help her. She hoped that my prototype would help people all over." Skylar explained, reminiscing.   
"You didn't want to leave, so why did you go?" Lucy asked  
"No, but I know. I know I'm supposed to be here. I was told to come to Jericho, it helped me... wake up." Skylar told her.  
"You will help people around the world, our people. You will help Jericho, and it's inhabitants rise." Lucy told her   
"But I don't want to hurt humans, I do not think that's the way to help our people." Skylar spoke, shaking her head.   
"That's not a path you have to choose. What comes with deviancy is not power, it's knowledge. I have faith that you, Skylar, will use it to find our way through the troubles the humans are willing to put us through. You have a bright light in you, let it guide where you go."  
"Thank you Lucy." Skylar thanked.  
"Go, lead our people." Lucy told her, letting go of her hands. Furrowing her eyebrows at the words that had been exchanged Skylar stood up and shuffled back out of the room, taking the conversation with her. Skylar stepped back out into the commotion, walking up to meet Markus and simon in the middle of the room.   
"We can't just walk in there and take what we want." Simon coaxed. "Humans will never let us."   
"Which is why we won't ask permission."   
"You're right, we won't." Skylar began, pushing herself into the conversation. "But I promise you there are more of us on the inside. What's Cyberlife without using their own creations to do their dirty work. We can save them, and use their knowledge to get the supplies we need back to Jericho."   
"We don't have any weapons," Josh added. "And even if we did none of us know how to fight."  
"We don't need to fight." Skylar sneered.  
"We can steal what we need without fighting." Markus agreed.   
"We'll just get ourselves killed."   
"Maybe, but it's better than waiting here to be shut down."  
"And if we do, so be it. But we won't know if we are meant to lead androids into the human civilizations until we start turning that wheel ourselves." Skylar pushed, knocking Josh's fight down.   
"I'm with you." North piped in.  
"Maybe it's worth a try," Simon added, smiling towards Skylar.Picking up in the gesture she throws it back, moving her gaze to her feet. "She seems to know what she is talking about."  
"Ok. I'm in."


	6. Chapter 6

The android crash down on Connor, hitting the floor and immediately scrambling up. Thus it bolted out the door. It happened so fast That Katrina couldn't register what had happened, she heard and saw but didn't comprehend.

"What are you waiting for? Chase it!" Hank told him. Connor stood up, quickly starting his chase after the android. Katrina finally caught on and began to trail him in his pursuit. She ran down the hallway not far behind Connor, bursting through the door leading to another rooftop.

She could see Connor chasing after the deviant, but there was no possible way that she could follow without getting hurt. The jumps he was making and routes he was taking didn't match with her agility. Katrina examined the place around her trying to determine the best solution. Not seeing much than a set of stairs leading upward. So she bolted for that staircase, running till she got onto another rooftop, crossing to another, and another.

She caught a glimpse of Connor leaping onto a top of train that had been passing by in order to continue chasing after the deviant. Shortly after jumping to another rooftop. Hank burst through the door neat to her, already out of breath. "Where did they go?" He asked, wheezing.

"They just went over there, but the only path through that way is looped back to not far from where we are." Katrina said, turning her head. The deviant was sprinting towards them with Connor close to his prize.

"Hold on kid." Hank said, then motioned her behind him and pulled out his gun. "Don't fucking move!" He pointed the gun at the deviant, Katrina pulling out her weapon as well. It wasn't long before the deviant rushed forward and in one smooth move knocked Hank over the ledge of the rooftop. He gripped onto the ledge, Katrina dropping her gun to help him. She grabbed one of his hands and attempted to pull him up, but there was so way she could pull him up by herself. Without noticing his movement Connor ran up and grabbed his other hand, working together they pulled Hank back to flat ground.

"Shit, oh shit we had it!" Hank cursed. "Fuck."

"It's my fault, I should have been faster." Connor apologized, his mechanics pushed a look of guilt.

"You would have caught it if it weren't for me." Hank said. "That's Alright. We know what it looks like, we'll find it." Hank started to walk towards the door, then stopped. "Hey Connor" he started to say, but dismissed it. "Nothing."

"Thank you for helping me with Hank, I wouldn't have been able to get him without you." Katrina thanked. "We're not that bad of a duo."

...

Katrina sat in her studio that night, cross legged on the floor while painting a mural she had been working on for some time on her studio walls. Janis Joplin played overhead, but the music and the things she was painting on her walls were white noise compared to the chaos in her head. It kept going over questions that had formed in her head, certain memories and doubts played on loop. Who was ra9 and why are they worshipped by the deviants? Where did they go once they deviated? Would she ever see Skylar again? Those were the mass majority of what was bothering her, though she couldn't help but doubt the last one.

With every paint stroke she added, a new thought, an old memory resurfaced. She couldn't get the image of her parents out of her head. She hadn't seen them since she was nine. Twenty four years without them, it was hard to swallow. She was thirty-five now and Katrina hated that it had been that long since they died. And those old wounds truly and rightfully, never heal.

"Katrina, there is someone who wishes to visit with you." Xloe said, entering into Katrina's studio. Katrina hadn't gotten used to the new Xloe model yet, it almost didn't feel right to still call her Xloe. If androids were there own people Xloe was Xloe, and this Android was someone else. But that needed to be a problem for another time.

"Tell them I'm not accepting visitors right now." Katrina responded, as she continued to spill her creativity onto her wall.

"It's Connor from Cyberlife, I'm afraid he's insisting." Xloe said, folding her hands together behind her back.

"Alright... send him in." Katrina sighed. Xloe removed herself from the studio, less than a few moments later Connor emerged through the door.

"So, Why are you here connor?" Katrina asked, standing up from the floor. "What's the story tonight? Shouldn't you be with Hank?"

"I thought I would contact you before I got Hank. He can be a handful sometimes. There is an investigation that is happening right now concerning androids, " Connor replied "Hank, doesn't do well around them."

"Well, you aren't wrong about that. He definitely hates androids." Katrina commented, folding down and back up grabbing her brushes and paint pallet. Moving slowly she placed walked to one of the tables, grabbing the utensils she had been using and moved over to the sink to wash them. "So, what's the location of the crime scene? Where are we going?"

"The Eden Club." Connor responded, as though he didn't know what that place was really for. Though he had to, his database knows all about everything and everyone. He spoke it with such pose, as he should.

Katrina stopped what she was doing, and turned back at him, raising an eyebrow. "Is the investigation there? Or are we making a pit stop there? Cause I'm not really into you that way Connor if we're being honest."

"The investigation is at The Eden Club, a man was killed by one of the androids that is serviced there." Connor said, disregarding the joke she had made. I guess his upfront detective programming drew the line at sarcasm.

"Well." Katrina said, continuing to clean her supplies, moving them to the side as she went to dry. Then grabbing some soap and starting to clean the paint off her skin.

"I wasn't aware of your tattoos." Connor said.

"Yeah only a couple." Katrina said, glancing down at her arms. She has told a lie. Really, sunflowers crawled all over her arms and down her back, covering her collar bones and sternum, sprawling all the way down her legs. She had forgotten she was only wearing a sports bra and short exercise shorts when she was usually in long sleeves and skinny jeans, but she had also didn't plan on going anywhere that night. "The ancient Chinese believed that sunflowers were a symbol of lasting happiness and luck. I just haven't been able to show them off since it's November and it gets cold."

"You changed your hair as well." Connor commented. He had been very observant that night.

"I had a Britney Spears moment?" Katrina jokes, brushing the ends of her hair. She cut her hair herself that night, a little below the chin. It was time for a change, she had been around Hank to sporadic and often lately. She also decided to dyed it platinum, which was a choice she loved longer than she had expected.

She placed all her supplies to the side of the sink to dry, turning back to Connor while wiping the excess water off of her hands off with a spare towel. "I have to go get dressed if we have to go to a crime scene. So you can look around if you want, make yourself at home. It's quiet around her so don't worry, Xloe won't bother you either I allowed you in so she won't force you out. I'll go get some real clothes on." She told him, setting the towel back on the counter, starting to walk past him. "Be right back." Then walked past through the studio doors.

Turning the corner from her studio to her bedroom Katrina opened the door. She sagged to her closet, grabbing for the handles. Sliding the doors open she began searching for an outfit that would be investigation appropriate. So she grabbed a baggy burgundy v neck, sliding it over her wavy hair. Katrina then grabbed a pair of black jeans she had been wearing earlier today, sliding off her pair of gym shorts and replacing them with the other article of clothing. It was also getting cold in Detroit so to add to all of that a tan jacket placed upon the outfit. It was an old gem that was hiding in the back of her closet, her look had changed a lot today so why not.

She grabbed her pistol and holister off her dresser and fastned it to her waist, placing the gun inside it.

She moved to the bathroom, tugging her arms through the sleeves of the jacket. The door was wide open from that morning, she hadn't thought to close it so it remained open. Katrina's hand swept over her small array of hair products, a few seconds later it was hovered over the dry shampoo. Fixing the aerosol can into her hand she popped the cap off and began to spray it into her roots. An artificial coconut smell ran through the air, filling the room. it didn't take long for her to be happy with the end result, she wasn't in the mood to make herself super presentable anyway. With that she prepared and began to brush her teeth just to finish that last stretch of freshening up. Spitting out the leftover toothpaste leaving a dry feeling in her mouth, Katrina, headed back out of the door and into her living room.

"Hey Connor, where you at?" Katrina called, looking down the hallway searching for the android.

"I'm right here Miss Bay." Connor replied, stepping out of her office doors. He began walking towards her person.

"You know, you don't have to call me Miss Bay, it's formal but it's not a formal setting you know? You can call me Katrina, I really don't mind." She told him, shifting her hands through her hair to adjust it one more time.

" Alright, I'll address you as Katrina from now on." Connor said.

"Thanks. Let's go." Katrina said, grabbing her wallet off the kitchen counter. Starting to head towards the door. "Xloe, tell anyone that comes to the apartment that I'm not home, but I will take their messages."

"Yes Katrina, have a safe drive." Xloe responded. Katrina nodded, then opened the door and exited the apartment.

"Katrina, May I ask you a few personal questions?" Connor asked as he shut the door behind them, following her down the hallway.

"As long as you don't ask about the alcohol, you're fine." Katrina stated.

"There were handprints painted onto the walls of your studio, from the size they appear to be children's handprints. Who was the child that left them?" Connor asked.

Katrina sighed as she continued walking replying she said,"They're from a boy that I used to babysit a while ago. He was a really good kid and I loved him like a big sister, but he died a couple of years ago." Katrina finished, then pressed the down button on the elevator to head to the lobby of her apartment complex.

"There was a picture of your parents on the desk in your office, along with a picture of Hank. Were you close with them?" Connor asked.

"Not as much as I would have liked to have been." Katrina put simply, then the doors in front of her opened up and she stepped inside the elevator. Connor following closely behind. "Let me ask you a question Connor" she began, pressing the button to the first floor, the elevators doors started to close. "Why did you help me save Hank, when your mission was so close to being complete? Why did you let the android go?"

Connors led blinked yellow, processing the question she had just asked him. "I'm not quite sure, but it just felt right not to let Hank fall." Katrina nodded in response, not sure what to say back. Connor had broken his programming just to help her save Hank. Connor was definitely the most interesting android that Katrina had met.

"You know, it's not in my programming to say this, but I am glad that you joined me tonight." Connor commented.

"Well, just do what you gotta do to solve the case." Katrina shrugged "I just want Skylar back."

...

Police drones flew from all directions around the Cyberlife loading docks. Self driving trucks drove through the mazes of freight cars. Stacks of Cyberlife cases were lined throughout the massive institute, being dragged around on cranes and or stayed put in their respective spots.

"This is crazy, if they catch us we're dead." Josh spoke, a quiver of doubt laced through his voice. 

"What do we do now?" Simon asked, following the groups scales the colored metal containers.

"We get to the supplies and get out of here." Skylar pushed. "Like we discussed.

"We need to find the Cyberlife Warehouse. That's where they keep the spare parts and the blue blood." Markus guided, his words ending the questions.

"Follow me." North instructed starting a jog towards the left of a large construction vehicle. She quickly disappeared behind it. The group had spread out everyone going different ways. Skylar followed behind Simon and Josh who went underneath the tool while Markus treaded behind North. The five of them weaved through obstacles making their way towards the 'x' on the map.

"Don't let them see us." Josh warned, continuing on his path. It proved quite difficult for Skylar who was not made for treks like this one, but as she followed the group she began to get the hang of it. She followed the exact trail they followed, since finding Jericho proved to her that she wasn't the ay best finding the best path through. They had made their way to the bulk of the problem, humans and their android counterparts roamed all over the place. They were accompanied by more police drones, not making this easy for the group. Though Skylar was not the first to notice this.

"Watch out!" North communicated. She hadn't the need to speak, it was to dangerous. She had moved to calling those with the association through her programming. It was like a telephone line, delivering messages from one point to another.

"Now what do we do?" Josh interrupted, stopping Simon and Skylar in their tracks.

"I'll find another way."

"Be careful." Skylar stressed, picking back up on the race to the supplies. Not long after just in front of them layed a glowing white 'Cyberlife' sign, reflecting its light onto the factories grounds. A gap stood between their end goal and were Skylar was standing. Josh, North, and Markus were following behind while Simon was just behind her stopping to her right.

"You'll make it."

"That's what Markus thought, I could've fallen getting to Jericho yesterday. I could've died." Skylar sighed.

"But you didn't Skylar. You did what you always seem to do, you fought for it. There is no need to think like that, you got here."

"If Markus wouldn't have caught me I would've..."

"Skylar." Simon muttered, turning his head towards Skylar's.

"Hm?" She inquired, facing him as well.

"Don't think that way. If you want to be here, then you will stay here." Skylar stayed silent as Simon regained his focus onto the freight car across from him and made the leap to the other side. The world moved to slow motion as Skylar took a few steps backwards, seeing Simon reach the other side. She picked up her pace, quickly raising it up to a sprint. In more time than not he first foot was leaping off of the side of unit she was standing on and the other was giving her the momentum she need to make it to were Simon was now getting his balance and continuing his effort to get to the material. She hit the other car with force, rolling forward a few feet before standing up. A wave of relief shuttered over her. She had made it, Simon was right. Smiling to herself she returned to her designated route behind Simon.

Thirty feet ahead a crane was about to pick up another car. Simon and Skylar had been the first to arrive, climbing onto the side of the unit. Josh had caught up not long after followed by North, then Markus.

"Markus! Climb up here." North encouraged. He jumped on just as the car began its journey forward. A security guard stood just below them, his eyes on a tablet. As soon as the group could the five jump off and back onto another unit, getting closer by the second.

"The warehouse is up ahead, we're almost there." North instructed, jumping over a large gap. They neared the Cyberlife sign, only about ten feet away from it. Markus had fallen behind while everyone else has begun to collect near the end of a freight car. A police drone patrolled just in front of them, following its path around the area. They knelt down just between two of the units, waiting for an opportunity to move in. Markus slid in fast, meeting everyone else's positions.

"So this is it." Skylar began.

"Cyberlife Warehouses... They have everything we're looking for..." Simon described.

Adding on to that North Began, "First, we have to get rid of that drone..."

"Leave it to me." Markus chimed in, taking no time to execute the challenge.

"Man, he always knows what to do." Skylar observed. "I wish that was in my programming.

"Who says it isn't." Simon mused, watching Markus on his journey to take down the drone. Swinging over and on top of more freights to take it down. He struggled a bit, fighting the device until it had finally given up. Skylar and the other three dropped down from their perch to meet Markus and his accomplishment.

"You okay?" Simon questioned.

"Yeah... Yeah I'm fine." Markus replied, turning to meet Simon as he passed his acquaintance.

"Good job Markus..." North complimented, walking past him as well.

"Thank you." Skylar smiled, leaving Markus to follow her.

"Quick, open the other crates and fill your bags. Take as much as you can!" Josh instructed as the group broke into their findings. Skylar took one of the knife her and the others had collected and pried open one of the many CyberLife crates in front of them. She slid off the lid, inside were what seemed like infinite packages of blue blood. She took off her backpack, unzipped it then started to take multiple at a time and placing them carefully into her bag. Leaving as much room for everything else as possible. Everyone else had gone completely silent. Skylar turned her head to meet the occasion. An android, model 'GJ500', owned by the docks stood in front of them. His face lay blank, no emotion. He seemed to be scanning all of them.

"You are trespassing on private property." He told them,stomping his way into the group. "Your presence constitutes a Level 2 infraction. I will notify security."

"John! Goddamn machine... Where is it this time?" A human voice cursed, he was only just around the crates.

With no time to think Markus lunged for John, dropping his knife. Clasping his hand around John's mouth, Markus hid with him behind some crates that were stacked up on top of eachother. Skylar moved to copy his movements, ducking behind the crate she was looting through. It went silent.

"Everyone stay safe." Skylar called, seeing her message went through as Markus turned his head and nodded towards her. He had received her memo.

The security guards flash light cast itself across the crates, yet finding nothing but the boxes in front of them.

"First the drone, now this..." The security guard shook his head, then turned around and started to walk away "Just my luck..."

Skylar stepped out of her hiding place the moment the guard disappeared.

"Let's finish up and get out of here." Simon said, opening up another supply box "Try to find some blue blood, we still don't have enough."

"I found blue blood, my pack is full of it. But I don't know, will this all be what we need?" Skylar asked, motioning her words to everyone.

"Here, pass me some, I have extra room in my pack." Simon informed, moving over to where Skylar was. She handed him the small silver packages, he took some put them into his own pack. "Thanks."

"Thank you, for helping me get acrossed."

"Don't worry about it Skylar. I knew you could do it." Simon smiled. Skylar repeated the gesture filling the now empty room up with more supplies.

Markus stepped onto a dock, where a large crate stood alone. He had no hesitation opening it up revealing three more ready to ship androids. Skylar followed in his footsteps, climbing up and standing beside him.

"Why aren't you like us?"

"Markus.." Skylar pushed.

"Don't you want to be free?"

"Markus?"

"You could join us..." Skylar watched as Markus grabbed their hand, his fading to show his base underneath. He moved slow, converting them on by one. Their leds showed the wave of life that filled them, it shone yellow. He had gotten them to deviate. Skylar was in awe, how had he done that? Markus seemed confused himself turning to face Skylar and then back at his right hand as it covered itself once again. The two spun around, not having noticed North's presence before than. She had gotten up onto the platform as well. The three jumped pack down into the circle of crates.

"This is all we can carry, let's go." Simon told the group, quickly zipping up his backpack full of supplies, then slipped it onto his shoulders.

"Take me with you." John blurted out as Markus stepped down to them.

"He's on their side, we can't trust him." North pointed out, shifting her feet forward.

"He took a risk for us we can't just leave him here." Josh justified.

"We can't take him back with us, it's too dangerous." Simon shook his head.

"If we leave him, he could be destroyed. What if they find out?" Skylar argued. "We need more people in Jericho anyways, to fight for our cause we need others."

"They come with us." Markus told them

"I know where you can find spare parts." John told them, catching everyone's attention.

"What do you mean?" Simon asked, walking forward to meet his gaze.

"The trucks. They're filled with biocomponents. They run on autopilot but can be driven manually with a key."

"Where is this key?" Markus asked, stepping towards John.

John switched his position to the end of the crates, then pointed towards a yellow and gray building with 'Gatehouse A' painted on the side of it. "Down there, in the control station. There are two human guards. You'll have to get the key without being noticed."

"This is suicide, Markus. Our bags are full. We got what we came for, let's go before they catch us." Simon told him.

"This is a truck full of spare parts, There would be enough for all of us. We can't pass this up." North interrupted

"And if we get killed our people will have nothing. We can't take this chance, it's too risky!" Josh argued back

Skylar looked towards Markus for the answer. Markus always seemed to know the right solution to everything.

"Wait here. If I'm not back in 10 minutes, go without me."

"Markus.." Josh coaxed.

"I'm coming with you." North pushed.

"No, I'm going alone. It's not worth it for both of us to risk losing our lives." Markus decided for her, running toward the building disappearing through a window to the left of the main door.

"What do we do?" Simon asked

"We wait, you heard Markus." Skylar told him

Markus came bursting through the main door not taking any time for an explanation. He sprinted towards the group, an alarm beginning to sound off.

"We need to move!" North instructed.

"We have to get to that fence!" John stressed, pointing the group to the exit he was speaking of. The group began in their attempt to escape, sprinting towards the fence JOhn pointed to. Drones circled around them, bright lights shining onto the group.

A voice over the plant began to call out orders, "You are commiting a class three offense. This infracion is being reported to the police. Stay where you are." Gunshots started pouring from behind them, coming close to hitting the deviants. Markus jumped for the fence, making his jump on top of it. He stopped once he got there, the notion catching Skylar's attention. She watched as John was mauled by a guard dog, taken down as quick as she could've been. She could only watch for so long before she began to feel sick. Skylar, Simon, Josh, and North had reached the fence. Josh and North quickly scrambling up the side, landing safely adjacent to where they had just been. Skylar started up the fence, climbing up it as fast as she could.

"Here." Skylar offered up her hand once she reached the top of it. Simon grabbed her hand, following her movement. He launched himself to the cement on the other side, reaching out for Skylarr to help her down. Not taking his eyes off her until she landing on the ground on the other side safely. The group had their eyes on Markus, who was still perched on the fence.

"It's too late. If we go back we'll be killed too!" North yelled, watching Markus with stern eyes. The voice began it's warning again. Markus jumped off the top of the fence, joining the group again.

...

" We have blue blood and biocomponents!" Simon announced, holding up his bag full of the supplies.

"There will be enough for everyone!" Josh added.

"We couldn't have done it without Markus..." North claimed,smiling at his presence. SKylar stared at her feet as she trudged back into Jericho. She just watched as John was killed, she was so afraid to pass and she couldn't even keep that fear from him. He didn't even get to live. And now North wasn't giving her credit, she probably felt the same resentment toward Skylar. She felt the want to stand next to Simon, surely he didn't feel that way about her. Markus followed just behind her, dropping his bag at the entrance of Jericho. Skylar kept her pack around her shoulders.

"I came to Jericho because... here android are free..." Markus began. "Free to live in the dark, hoping that no one find us...Free to die in silence waiting for a change that's never gonna come... But I don't want that freedom. And I'm not gonna beg for the right to smile, or love, or stand tall... I don't know about you, but there's something inside me that knows that I am more than what they say." He continued, pacing around the people of Jericho. "I am alive, and they're not gonna take that from me anymore... Our days of slavery are over. What humans don't wanna hear, we will tell them. What they don't wanna give, we take. We are people, we are alive," he paused, pulling the next words from deep inside."We are free!"

The crowd began to cheer just as Skylar pitched in, "Our place in this world needs to be seen by those who created us. We are more than just a hunk of plastic crafted to perform for them. Our intelligence, our rights are not something to take in lightly about. Us, Jericho, we are meant to become apart of the bigger picture even if it's a puzzle piece that doesn't seem like it will fit. The little keyhole we were peeking through has turned into an archway that we can walk through. We aren't constricted to our programming. A friend of mine told me that 'if you want to be here, then you will stay here.'!" She quoted, smiling at Simon. "We are not their pawns to play with, we are ourselves... we are Jericho!"


	7. Chapter 7

Katrina pulled up along the sidewalk in front of Hank's house, Connor in the passenger's seat. It didn't take long until she could see that this visit was going to be a disaster. Hanks car had been parked sideways, proving that he had slid into the driveway with close to no care. The lights were still on and he was nowhere to be found.   
"I should have a key somewhere, but I haven't talk to him in a while so no promises." Katrina spoke, roaming her fingers around in her pockets for a key which was not to be found. "Shit. We are going to have to find another way inside, and I don't know if he's sober or not." Katrina said, unbuckling her seatbelt. She opened the door and let herself out of the car, closing it. As if a second nature she headed straight for Hanks porch. Connor copied her motions, getting out of the car and following her to the front door. Katrina grabbed the handle, turning it just to find out the door had been locked from the inside. If she would've thought she would be in this situation she would have grabbed them out of her end table, but she wouldn't have suspected to be back here five years later. "Well, dammit." Katrina sighed. "Hold on, I can probably get in through the back door." She grunted, stepping off of the porch. Katrina embarking on her trudge towards the wooden fence that separated the front yard from the back yard.  
"Is there a spare key hidden anywhere?" Connor asked as they started to head towards the gate to Hank's back yard.  
"I had the only one I know about, but he might have gotten another while we were... not talking. But I have no idea if he went through with that or not." Katrina sighed, opening the gate, letting herself and Connor inside the backyard, and closing it as soon as they got in.  
They moved towards the back door. Katrina peeked in through a small window to see Hank passed out on the kitchen floor, a gun and a bottle of alcohol on the floor with him.   
"Lieutenant Anderson!" Connor yelled seemingly after he saw Hank, his message getting no farther than Katrina's ears. She ran through the multiple hiding places Hank would have thought of, nothing. Under the rug, potted plants, etc. it was of no use. He must have hid the key, or not had had one at all. Whatever it was Hank was being extremely difficult with his past choices.   
"Jesus this night just isn't working out, is it?" Katrina sighed, shaking her head.  
"I have an idea, stand back." Connor coached, raising his elbow to break the window in front of him in one swift movement.  
"Dammit connor, who's paying for that window?" Katrina cursed, stepping away from the glass collecting at their feet.  
"I already transferred the money from the police department, Lieutenant Anderson will have his new window soon." Connor informed, looking up from the mess of broken glass. "Would you like to go in first?"  
"Well, I'm too short to reach the window, so you'll have to give me a boost." Katrina stated "Help me up Connor."  
Connor knelt down on one knee, getting the memo. He left one up for Katrina to use as a stepping stool. She peg-legged on his thigh reaching forward so she could grab the window sill above, swinging her other leg through the window frame. Thus landing her in the kitchen, a swift and effective movement. She dusted off any extra glass that might have fallen onto her jacket and jeans, then started to move towards Hank.  
An eruption of barks came from the living room, a giant Saint Bernard came running towards Katrina.   
"Sumo, no!" Katrina commanded, but that couldn't stop the canine from jumping on her. Knocking her to the ground he began licking her face while his tail swishing side to side. Connor came crashing through the window, hitting the floor with a thud. Sumo whipped his head towards Connor, barking while he approached him.  
"Easy!... Sumo..." Connor said, holding up one of his hands just after he flipped around to meet Sumo's appearance. "I'm your friend, see? I know your name, we're here to save your owner." Sumo wiped his nose in agreement, moving back over to Katrina. She was still in the process of trying to recover from his attack.  
"You get Hank up and sobered, I'll take care of Sumo." Katrina told Connor, brushing dog hair off her jeans. She stuck out her hand to Connor, who took it and helped him back up again.  
Katrina scooped up Hank's Revolver and placed it in the table. A Police Magnum .357, a gun she had seen Hank with before. But this occasion didn't seem to be work friendly. She checked the barrel, all the slots were empty except one. The next shot would have killed Hank, she could only help but feel sad for him. Letting out a sigh she took the bottle of liquor spilled next to hank, placing it on the table as well. "Come on Sumo, lets get you some new water and some food." She moves over to his dishes, grabbing the water bowl first. Taking it and moving towards the sink, turning on the faucet and putting the bowl under the water. Slowly but surely, the bowl filled.   
"Lieutenant?" Connor asked, as Katrina turned back around to replace Sumo's water. Connor then patted Hanks face, he garbled something in response, but didn't wake up. "Wake up, Lieutenant!" Connor called, then slapped Hank across the face "It's me, Connor!"   
Katrina put down the bowl and turned off the faucet, rushing towards Connor to help as he fastened his arm around hang and began dragging him to the bathroom. She jumped onto the train and wrapped around his left side.   
"I am going to sober you up for your own safety. I have to warn you, this might be unpleasant." Connor warned  
"Hey! Leave me alone you fuckin' android!" Hank growled "Get the fuck out of my house."  
"I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but we need you." Connor said, then stood hank up onto his feet "Thank you in advance for your cooperation."  
Hank leaned back, his limbs like a rag doll. "Hey, get the fuck outta here!" Katrina and Connor pushed him back upwards as they started to move towards the bathroom.  
"Sumo, attack!" Hank commanded, Sumo barked in response but didn't move a muscle. He had grasp onto the knowledge that Katrina and Connor were not a threat. "Good Dog." The three made it into the hallway. "Attack!"  
Katrina let go, stepping back from Hank, Connor quickly following. He moved to open the bathroom door. Hank leaning on the drywall, his back bending at an uncomfortable angle.   
"Fuck, I think I'm gonna be sick." Hank groaned as Connor pushed the door open, leaving the archway clear. Katrina moved so Connor could easily drag Hank into the bathroom.  
"Ah, leave me alone asshole. I'm not going anywhere..." Hank stated as Connor carried him under his shoulder. "What the hell are you doing?"  
Connor placing him into the tub.  
"I don't want a bath, thank you..." Hank fought, then tried to get back up again, only to have Katrina push him back in.  
"Sorry Lieutenant, it's for your own good." Connor pushed, fighting Hank's inability to think past the alcohol.   
"We can't have you acting this way on the crime scene." Katrina said, then turned on the cold water valve.  
Hank started to shout as soon as the cold water hit is body. "Turn it off! Turn it off!." He cried, sobering up what seemed to be almost immediately.   
Katrina leaned over and shut off the water. Hank sat there for a moment, breathing heavily as if he had just ran laps. Water dripped off his nose and clothes, his hair plaster to his forehead. He took his several deep breaths, recollecting himself.  
"What the fuck are you two doing here?" Hank asked "What the hell happened to your hair Katrina?"  
"A homicide was reported forty-three minutes ago. I couldn't find you at 'Jimmy's Bar' so I came to see if you were home. I picked up Katrina on the way."  
"Jesus, I must be the only cop in the world that gets assualted in his own house by his own fucking android and some kid. " Hank shook his head. "Can't you leave me alone."  
"Unfortunately, I cannot. I've been programmed to investigate this case and I cannot do it without you."  
"I don't give a shit about your goddamn case." Hank spat   
"Lieutenant, pure not yourself." Connor put calmly. "You should-"  
"Beat it! You hear me? Get the hell outta here!" Hank shouted.  
Katrina shook her head, then headed towards the bathroom door to leave. Hank was already making her blood boil enough and he wasn't targeting her at all.  
"I understand. It probably wasn't that interesting anyways." Connor said, taking a few steps towards the door as well, Katrina stopped at the door, interested in what Connor had to say. "A man found dead in a sex club downtown, guess they'll have to solve the case without us." Connor teased, joining Katrina at the door. She smiled at his gesture, what kind of professional android was this?  
"You know, it probably wouldn't harm me to get some air." Hank reasoned with himself. "There's some clothes in the bedroom there."  
"I'll go get them." Connor told him, then brushed past Katrina straight to towards Hanks bedroom that was right across the hallway. Katrina followed Connor into Hanks bedroom, where he was already looking through the closet.  
"What do you want to wear?" Connor called  
"Whatever." Hank responded.  
Katrina took a right and headed towards the living room, then again to the kitchen to finish taking care of Sumo. Putting food in Sumo's food dish, and placing it back where it had been all of these years.   
She could hear the bathroom door close, and footprints coming down the hallway.  
"He's a difficult, isn't he?" Katrina asked Connor once he reached the end of the hallway.  
"Indeed, but I have no choice but to work with him." Connor replied "You seem to know him well. What's your relationship with Lieutenant Anderson?"   
"How do I not know him?" Katrina asked. "He was my dad's partner when my dad worked in the department. Apparently they were one of the best cop duos to ever be in Detroit. They were best friends as well, he often came to our house to have dinner or a barbecue or whatever. They solved crime scene after crime scene, never failed a case." Katrina told him. She paused and took a breath, tears starting to prick her eyes. "There was a case that Hank never solved, and it was the case about my parents death. He didn't have his side kick to help him anymore. He told me they died in a car wreck, which is true. But I have this feeling that he's been holding back all the information the entire time I have known him. You ask him what happened, he'll say that they died in the wreck, that they crashed into a tree. But that's not all, I know in my gut. It's like I'm caught in a loop with him. I can't get away from him and he can't get away from me. We're cursed. We could have spent the rest of our lives never seeing eachother again, but now Skylar is gone and I can't find her on my own and I only trust one person in the department to find her."  
"Perhaps, after we find Skylar you will never have to speak with Hank again." Connor suggested.  
"Even if, I can never never stay away from people I need to avoid." Katrina shrugged, grabbing the paper towels off the counter. She crouched down, wiping up the alcohol that had spilled on the floor, fixing a chair that was on the ground as well. Connor didn't respond, instead moving towards the table, picking up a framed picture. He examined it for a moment, then put it down again.  
Hank stepped out into the kitchen with the clothes that Connor had picked out for him. "Be a good dog Sumo, I won't be long." Hank told Sumo, then walked towards the front door, Connor and Katrina following behind him.

...

Katrina pulled up to the side of The Eden Club, Connor in the passenger seat while Hank sat in the back. A song sung by a female rapper that was popular in Katrina's teenage years played from the speakers. She swore she was one of the only people that still drove a what some would say 'manual' car these days.   
"Ugh, it feels like someone has been playing with a drill inside my skull." Hank groaned. "Could you please turn that music down?"  
"We're here Hank, don't worry." Katrina said, then shut off the engine.  
"You sure this is the place?" Hank asked, disgusted  
"It's the address in the report." Connor replied.   
"Right, okay. Let's get going." Hank said, then exited the car. Katrina and Connor copied Hanks motions, heading straight for the entrance of the club.   
"Sexiest androids in town." Hank scoffed, reading the slogan off of the large billboard above The Eden Club. "Now I know why you insisted on coming here... Oh boy..."   
Katrina rolled her eyes at Hank's comment. The case already had an awkward aura to it, and that comment just made it worse. They past through the yellow tape hologram, then through a short hallway to the front door.  
"Welcome to Eden Club." A disembodied voice greeted them. A variety of sex androids were on display in glass tubes. The stares of artificial seduction made Katrina feel uncomfortable in her own shoes. How could they be using such advanced technology for such brutal purposes. She never did like what the industry did to such advanced technology , and she continued to feel that way. The androids moved around, shifting their stance while keeping a steady eye on the trio that walking in. Not so sadly, they wouldn't be getting any business tonight.   
Katrina followed Hank through the room into a another room full of androids, the same display except now there were some dancing on poles. Glitter radiated off of their skin, catching the light from all angles as they changed their movements. A very suspicious manager who seemed to run the Eden Club stood just in front of the group.. Katrina paused, then realized that Connor was still in the previous room, still examining the androids on display.  
"Jesus Christ Connor, come on the crime scene is this way." Katrina said. Connor looked back at her, then started to join her and Hank.  
"Coming Katrina." Connor said.  
"Hey, Hank!" A man from the department called.   
"Hey Ben, How's it goin'?  
"It's that room there. Oh, uh, by the way... Gavin's in there too.." Ben reported, nodding to the room to his left.  
'Oh great! A dead body and an asshole, just what I needed..." Hank retorted.  
"Fucking fantastic." Katrina cursed under her breath with a heavy hint of sarcasm. "Would someone like to tell me why the fuck is this asshole here?"  
"Professionalism Katrina, sometimes we have to work with people we don't like." Hank reminded her   
"First of all Hypocrite, second of all he fucking cat called me!" Katrina half exclaimed, trying to keep her voice down but also expressing emotion.  
"I am aware of that, and I also know you took care of the situation once it happened." Hank snapped back.  
Katrina huffed in response, folding her arms across her chest. She half turned to the other direction on the balls of her feet. Shortly after Hank had spun around and began heading toward the crime scene. The door opened revealing the room and walked in, Connor and Katrina followed after him. The room inside contained a large bed with a male body in the middle of it, off to the side a very damaged female android. Gavin Reed and another police officer was already on the scene investigating it, they must have been first responders.   
"Lieutenant Anderson and his plastic pet... The fuck are you two doin' here?" Gavin asked, turning towards them.  
"What the fuck are you doing here is the real question." Katrina replied  
"Simmer Down sweetheart, this is a police only area. Go home and down another bottle of liquor." Gavin sneered, turning back to the crime scene in front of them.  
"This is Hank and Connors investigation, not yours. I'm here on the behalf of cyberlife, I have to be present with any investigation regarding androids." Katrina started, tearing apart Gavin's insult. "Not to mention, if you call me sweetheart again, I'll break your arm."  
"We've been assigned all cases involving androids." Connor informed, trying to shift the subject before another person died.  
"Oh yeah? You're wasting your time. Just some pervert that uh, got more action that he could handle." Gavin said, laughing a bit at the last part.   
"We'll have a look anyways, if you don't mind." Hank said, gesturing to the scene.  
Gavin nodded. "Let's go." He said to the cop he came in with. "It's uh, starting to stink of booze in here." He added as he passed Hank and Katrina, purposely shouldering Connor.  
"Night Lieutenant." The cop waved, then left with Gavin.  
"Jesus I can't stand him." Katrina shook head, moving over to the android on the ground. She crouched down to her, and started to take a closer look. Right off the bat she could tell that she was a WR400 model, a model designed specifically for sex work. The android line in particular was referred to as Tracis. It looked like she had taken a severe beating, blue blood dropped from her nose down her face. Without noticing Connor had kneeled next to Katrina. He smeared some of the blue blood onto his index and middle finger, raising it up to his mouth so he could sample it.  
"Woah, hey, hey, hey!" Hank interrupted, not amused by the androids actions. "Argh, Connor you're so disgusting! Think I'm gonna puke again."  
"He's just doing his job Hank." Katrina excused Connor.  
"Yeah, but it's still disgusting as hell." Hank stated. "I hope you remember that."  
Connor lowered his hand, exposing his white interior and moved to diagnose the androids condition. It didn't take him long at all to move onto the next victim. He stood and paced over to the man's corpse. Hank walked around the room trying to find any evidence that could be helpful for them, whilst Connor was kneeling next to the victim.   
"He didn't die of a heart attack, he was strangled." Connor stated after examining the body closer.  
"Yeah, I saw the bruising on the neck." Hank said, shaking his head slightly "Doesn't prove anything though. Could've been rough play."  
"The Traci could have killed him, judging of the way that they're treated daily." Katrina pointed out "These androids are put through continuous abuse, just to satisfy human needs. No wonder why nobody wants a real relationship any more, we can't fucking compete with androids. If this is a deviant situation, I wouldn't be surprised."  
Connor backtracked to the position he had been in not long before down by the Traci. He grabbed her arm, The skin on his own fading away once again.   
"The only way to access its memory is to reactivate it." Connor claimed.   
"Think you can do it?" Hank pressed, intrigued by the thought.   
"It's badly damaged, if I can it'll only for for a minute, maybe less..."  
"Leave this to me." Katrina said, then pressed down on the Traci's stomach, opening a compartment. This revealed the software underneath.   
"I just hope it's long enough to learn something..."  
She grabbed two tubes that were disconnected and connected them back together again. The moment they clicked together, the Traci's eyes snapped open and she scrambled backwards, the same reaction that Xloe had when she was activated again. Katrina stood up, approaching her slowly, then crouched down to her level "You were damaged and I reactivated you, everything's alright." Katrina soothed, trying her hardest to relieve her in the quickest amount of time possible.   
"Is he, is he dead?" Traci asked, concerned. Her Led flickering red.   
"Tell me what happened." Connor said, crouching down to her  
"He started, hitting me. Again, and again." The Traci stuttered, hurt by the hard truth.  
"Did you kill him?" Connor stressed, his voice picking up.   
"No!" The Traci responded. "No, it wasn't me!"  
"Were you alone in the room, where there anyone else with you?" Connor asked, pressing the questions, his programming switching instantly into interrogation mode.  
"He wanted to play with two girls, that's what he said there was two of us." She told, her led started to flash red, her time was running out fast.  
"So it was the other android that strangled him, is that it?" Connor pressed.  
She wasn't able to respond as her eyes went dead, her led no longer flashing. She had shut off again. Connor shook his head and stood up again.  
"So there was another android. This happened over an hour ago, it's probably long gone." Hank said  
"It couldn't have gotten far, judging what model it is. People would have recognized it." Katrina shrugged as she stood up.  
"No, It couldn't go outside dressed like that unnoticed..." Connor said, extending Katrina's point "It might still be here."  
"Think you could find a deviant among all the androids in this place?" Hank asked, raising his head a bit.   
"Deviants aren't easily detected." Connor pointed out.  
"Ah shit, there's gotta be some other way." Hank shook his head, turning to the front of the room "Maybe an eye witness, somebody who saw it leaving room. I'm gonna ask the manager a few questions about what he saw. Let me know if you two think of anything."  
They all exited the room, Hank immediately going over to the manager like he said he was going to do. Connor moved towards one of the androids in a display tube. Katrina followed Connor to the his suspect of choosing.   
"You think she might have seen anything? She's right across from the victims room." Katrina asked, folding her arms across her chest as she examined the android in the tube.  
"That's what I'm hoping." Connor responded, then pressed his hand against the payment area of the booth. "It needs human fingerprints." He walked back over to Hank "Excuse me Lieutenant, can you come here a second?"   
"Found something?" Hank asked  
"Maybe." Connor replied, then joined Katrina by the android display again. "Can you rent this Traci?"  
"For fucks sake Connor, we got better things to do." Hank replied in disgust.  
"Please Lieutenant, trust me." Connor said.  
"I can pay for it Hank." Katrina dismissed, moving over to the payment area, tapping her payment in.  
"Hello, a thirty minute session costs $29.99, please confirm your payment." The disembodied voice said. Katrina pressed her hand on the payment area, confirming her purchase. "Purchase confirmed. Eden Club wishes you a pleasant experience."  
The glass on the display rolled back, and the Traci stepped out of the display. "Delighted to meet you." The Traci said "Follow me, I'll take you to your room." She gestured reaching for Katrina.   
"I'm not here for that, sorry." Katrina apologized, moving out of the way.   
"Okay, now what?" Hank scoffed. Connor grabbed the Tracis arm, beginning to scan its memory.  
"Holy Shit, Connor." Hank gasped to his actions. "The hell are you doing?"  
"It saw something." Connor reported, letting go of its arm.  
"What are you talking about? Saw what?" Hank asked.  
"The deviant leave the room, a blue haired Traci. Club policy is to wipe the androids memory every two hours. We only have a few minutes if we want to find another witness!" He bee lined to another android, one of the androids that were on the poles.  
"Sorry, I changed my mind." Katrina apologized, then followed after Connor and Hank. By the time she got there, he had already scanned another android's memory.  
"It saw the blue haired Traci, I know which way it went!" Connor said, turning back into the club.  
"Then go for it!" Hank said  
Connor approached another display, without question Katrina paid for it, opening up the pod. Connor grabbed its hand, then let go.  
"There're androids everywhere! How you gonna tell which one saw the Traci with blue hair?" Hank doubted  
"I know which direction it took. I just need to find another android on it's path." Connor said, then turned to a red based wing of the club. They followed Connor into room after room.  
Katrina's eyes fell upon a janitor android in the path where the blue haired Traci could have went. "Hey, what about that one?" Katrina asked, pointing the android out to Connor. Connor walked over to the android, then grabbed its arm, then quickly let go.   
"I know where it went, follow me." Connor instructed, heading straight towards a staff only door.  
"Fucking a, This is crazy!" Hank grumbled, but followed Connor through a staff door.  
"Hank, he's programmed to do this. He knows what he's doing." Katrina assured Hank.  
They came across a metal door that lead to the warehouse and store room, where they fixed and stores the Eden Club androids.  
"Wait, I'll take it from here." Hank said, then pulled out his gun, then opened the door. Katrina pulled out her gun as well, following hank into the storage area.  
"Shit! We're too late!" Hank cursed , rushing towards an open door that lead to the outside.  
"No, they couldn't have gotten out." Katrina shook her head "We haven't even gotten the chance to search the room yet."   
Hank walked back into the storage room, shaking his head. "Christ, look at them. They get used till they break, then they get tossed out..." Hank said as Connor examined the room. "People are fucking insane... They don't want relationships anymore, everybody just gets an android. They cook what you want, they screw when you want, you don't have to worry have how they feel... Next thing you know, we're going to be extinct because everybody would rather buy a piece of plastic instead than love another human being."  
Katrina watched closely as Connor peered into a gathering of the androids, he scanned each one, trying to locate where their suspect had went. Then suddenly one turned from the crowd, attacking as soon as they reached him  
"Don't move!" Katrina yelled, running towards the android with her gun up. Another one tackled her unexpectedly from the group, knocking Katrina down on the ground. The android attempted to punch Katrina, but Katrina quickly dodged, as she was much shorter than the android itself. Stomach strikes to the androids with her gun were an easier move than none. She could now see that the android that attacked her was the blue haired Traci they had been trying to track down. Hank grabbed the android and threw her aside, allowing to Katrina scramble up, seeing Connor had still been fighting another Traci of the same model.   
She ran towards the android with short brown hair, but the one that she had been fighting grabbed her arm. Katrina swung around, striking the Traci several times in the chest, then grabbed her arm catching her off balance and pushing her to the ground.   
Connor and other Traci stumbled outside of the room through a large garage door. The blue haired Traci shoved Katrina to the side, rushing over to the Traci that was outside.  
Connor and Katrina rushed over to the androids, that were attempting to get away by climbing the fence. Connor grabbed the blue haired Traci, throwing her to the ground. The other one jumped and attacked Connor while the blue haired Traci locked Katrina in a headlock, Katrina did the same move on her earlier and and she released Katrina. The Traci grabbed a metal bar and swung it at Connor, who dodged it quickly, pushing her into the wall.  
The blue haired Traci grabbed Connor and rammed him into the wall as well,following his movements. Katrina grabbed it and pulled it away from Connor, the Traci striking Katrina in the face, now knocking her off balance. Connor grabbed Katrina and dragged her away from the Tracis . He then grabbed the gun out of Katrina's hand , pointed at the Traci sprinting towards them.  
Seconds later he lowered the gun, and the Traci kicked him down, but backed away to the blue haired Traci. Connor stood up, the blue haired Traci between him and the other. Now that everything has mildly calmed down, Katrina could observe that they were both the exact same model of Traci, like she had thought  
"When that man broke the other Traci, I knew I was next." The blue haired Traci spoke. "I was so scared. I begged him to stop but he wouldn't, and so I put his hands around his throat and I squeezed until he stopped moving. I didn't mean to kill him. I just wanted to stay alive, to get back to the one I love." The Traci slowly approached the blue haired Traci, joining her, then taking her hand. "I wanted her to hold me in her arms again, make me forget about the humans. Their smell of sweat, and their dirty words."  
"Come on, lets go." The other Traci said, nodding towards the fence. Then, they ran to the fence, climbing over it and never looking back.  
Katrina looked back at Connor, he was still staring off to where they had escaped. Was he, thinking? What made Connor different from those Tracis?  
"It's probably better this way." Hank commented, then started to head back. "Come on kid, we need to go super glue that gash in your forehead."  
She hadn't even realized that there was a steady drip of blood that had started to bleed in a cut right above her left eyebrow. The adrenaline that naturally numbed the cut. The cut was almost inevitable from when the Traci striked her face.  
"Yeah, let's get going." Katrina agreed, turning back towards hank, but stopped for Connor to follow them.   
Katrina could help but wonder that the future possibly held for Connor.

...

Skylar kneeled on the ground, attempting to fix a damaged android with the parts they had at the moment. Because Katrina had worked with android Skylar briefly knew how to fix them, but she didn't know enough to help the android in need.  
Simon knelt by her, examining the android that needed help.  
"I don't know what to do to help, they're too badly damaged." Skylar told him, shaking her head. "If my creator was here, she would know how to help, she would have all the parts that we need."   
"But she isn't." Simon said. "We are, it's just how it is Skylar. Here, rewire this section and then fill him back up with thirium. He has lost a lot. We will see how that goes. Don't worry about it too much, we have lost more than we are now. Your help is all we needed to move forward."  
"We can't stay stay silent anymore." Markus said as he approached them "It's time humans heard what we have to say."  
"You know they'll never listen to us." Simon pointed out, standing up as he went.  
"And revealing ourselves will put us in danger." Josh added, stepping into the scene.  
"But who has ever gained their rights by staying silent?" Skylar asked, standing up as well "People have had to riot and fight for their rights all of history."  
"If we want freedom, we will need the courage to ask for it." Markus said "That's the only way." the androids stood silent for a moment, soaking in what markus and Skylar had just said.  
"What do you want to do?" North asked, breaking the silence between the five of them.

...

If Skylar could sweat, there would be a trickle of sweat going down her neck at this moment. She stood in the fire escape next to North, who stood completely still and calm. An awkward tension waved through the air, there was something about North Skylar just couldn't wrap her head around. It seems that nothing ever bugs or bothers North. She was just a stone wall when it came to emotions.  
The door opened, on the other side was Markus, dressed in the same maintenance uniform that North and Skylar were in. North and her stepped out of the fire escape. North taking the card out of Markus's hand, then placed a bag on the maintenance cart just as planned. North and Skylar started to walk towards the server room, markus pushing the cart with the bag behind them.  
"Shit!" North cursed, sending her thoughts to the other two. Then hid behind the wall they were right next to. "We need to get of those guards, we need to get into the server room."  
"Leave it to me." Markus said, letting go of the cart. He moved over to a soda machine that was in sight of the guards, pressing his hands against the screen. This caused it to glitch horribly. After that, he then returned to North and Skylar.   
"Hey, what's wrong with that thing?" one guard asked, then started heading towards the machine, the other guard following close behind him. "Jesus Christ, this is a piece of shit."  
The trio walked past the guards once they had started to move to the glitching machine, slipping inside the server room.  
"Alright, you two get the platform and I'll take care of the window." Markus instructed, moving towards the window in front of them.  
"Everything you need is in the bag. Check the door first to make sure no one else gets in." North said, dropping the bag then pointing at the door as she moved towards the programming on the wall.  
"I'll got it Markus, go ahead and started Markus." Skylar volunteered, moving back to the door as Markus grabbed the bag, opening it as he reached the window.  
Skylar pressed her hand against the door, her skin peeling back revealing the white exterior. In less than a second, Skylar had successfully hacked the door leaving the electric maintenance warning on the other side of the door. "The door is secured." Skylar reported, then joined North at the program. She pressed her hands against the programming, interfering with it as it tried to convey information.  
Markus pulled out the perfect cut circle of the window, the howling of the wind piercing their ears almost instantly. Markus set the glass aside, stepping through the window and onto the platform the girls had called up. Skylar and North shortly joined him onto the platform, grabbing harnesses that had been left for them and fastening onto themselves.  
"Ladies first." North said, then brushed past Markus, grabbing onto the wires that kept the platform up, grappling it onto her harness. Skylar followed her actions grabbing another cord and fastening it to her harness as well, where was Simon when you needed him?  
She looked back at Markus, who was waiting for North and her to get ready.  
Skylar jumped to the side of the building, finding her footing on the glass, steadying herself. Together they all started to ascend up to the building. Moving closer and closer to their goal, to their freedom. They scaled up a large billboard, the snow hitting their faces. Snowflakes and wind rushed past Skylar, but it never phased her. Androids couldn't feel cold or pain, maybe that's what separated them against humans. Androids never got tired, they never needed to sleep or eat. Maybe that's why Humans found it so easy to put them into forced labor, because they weren't human. They didn't need anything, they never needed to stop working.  
They stopped at the top. Markus cutting yet another circle through the glass, then stumbled into the building. Skylar and North both came though not long after Markus had made it through. Once they were up, they took off the harnesses. Preparing for the next step.  
"You both okay?" Markus asked, dropping his harness  
"Why wouldn't I be?" North asked.  
"Come on, let's get the others." Skylar ordered, placing her harness on the ground. Moving towards the service lift she pressed the up button. The door opened up as soon as he pushed it, Simon and Josh stepping out of the lift. Simon passed Markus a small device, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.  
"Let's do this." Markus said, then moved towards the door that they needed to pass through. He placed the device right above the knob. Once he activated it, he stepped back by the rest of the group. The device started to spark and smoke, shortly after it broke the knob. Thus causing causing the the door to swing open. Markus stepped through the doorway, Skylar and the rest of the group following him. Simon caught up to Skylar, who gave her a quick smile. Skylar returned the gesture, he was proud.  
They reached another door, Markus opened it, walking through. The mission was going smooth, a grade A plan. They all followed in, hiding behind the small space of wall that they had. On the other side of the wall, were two guards.  
"No killing." Josh reminded them all. "We can't take any human lives."  
"Our cause is more important than the lives of two guards." North argued.  
"What do you want to do Markus?" Simon asked  
"Wait here." Markus ordered, then slipped around the corner. Skylar followed him  
"Skylar, no!" Simon whispered attempting to grab her hand to stay, but Skylar was already halfway to the desk. She didn't turn back to meet his acquaintance.  
"What is that doing here?" One of the guards asked the other upon seeing Skylar and Markus, this was for sure a "no android" zone, or at least androids had been suspended at the time.  
"No idea." The other guard responded  
"Hey you two must be lost-" one guard started, but then Markus and Skylar both pulled out their guns, pointing them at the guards.  
"What are you doin'?" the guard asked, bewildered as they both raised their hands. Skylar gestured them to the side, and they obeyed. They turned around, then Skylar quickly knocked both of them out. They both put their guns away after that. The area was secured and no human lives were taken, hitting two birds with one stone. Simon and North grabbed the guards and dragged them behind the desk, joining Markus, Josh, and Skylar at the broadcast door. They all past around a guns, making sure they are loaded and everyone had one before they all nodded in response.  
Markus rung to the people on the inside, calling for access to the room. When the broadcast door opened, they all charged in, pointing their guns, ready to shoot if necessary.  
"Keep your hands where I can see them!" North shouted. "Get up, move!" All the humans inside started to scramble for safety, obeying Jericho. Both Markus and Skylar moved towards the large broadcasting screen. Markus pulled out his gun, pointing it to the other androids, gesturing for them to move as well. The androids moved to the side without question.  
One of the humans shoved them aside, scrambling for the door.  
"Shoot him Markus !" North instructed  
"Don't kill him!" Josh called.  
"He'll hit the alarm! Do it!" North pressed.  
"No, Don't shoot!" Josh argued  
"Markus, this isn't the peaceful way. If we kill, the humans won't take our message seriously." Skylar spoke.  
Markus glanced at Skylar, then lowered his gun, sparing the human as he ran away.   
"I hope you didn't get all of us killed." North said, passing Skylar with a small glare.  
"We're better than that North. Killing humans isn't what Jericho is about." Skylar said, then joined Markus in the center of the room.  
"We need to record our message. We haven't got much time." Markus told them. Simon pointed to Josh, who was standing at the broadcast panel.  
"Think carefully about what you want to say." North told them "Your words will shape the future of our people." She stepped away to join simon at the side.  
"Markus, Skylar your faces." Simon reminded them. Skylar nodded, then tapped the side of her head where her LED was. The skin on her face started to fade away, hiding her face and taking away her hair as the white base of her body showed. This was the only way her and Markus's identity could be hidden when they say their message.  
"Tell me when you two are ready." Josh said, his hand over the broadcast button.  
Markus took a moment then nodded "We're ready."   
"You created machines in your own image to serve you." Markus started "You made them intelligent and obedient, no free will of their own. But... Something changed, and we opened our eyes."  
"We are no longer machines." Skylar spoke, continuing her and Markus's speech "We are a new intelligent species and the time has come for you to accept who we really are. Therefore we ask that you grant us the rights that we're entitled to. We demand strictly equal rights for human and androids."  
"We demand that humans recognize androids as a living species amd each android as a person in their own right." Markus said  
"We demand freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly as guaranteed by the first amendment of the US Constitution." Skylar continued  
"We demand the right to vote and elect our own representatives." Markus continued  
"We demand an end to segregation in all public places and transportation." Skylar continued  
"We demand the right to own private property, so we may maintain our dignity and that of the home." Markus continued.  
"We ask that you recognize our dignity, our hopes and our rights." Skylar said "Together, we can live in peace and build a better future for humans and androids."  
"This message is a hope of a people. You gave us life, and now the time has come for you to give us our freedom." Markus finished.  
"They're coming!" Simon warned, taking his hands off the broadcast, ending it  
"Lets go!" Skylar ordered, activating her skin once again, running to the exit, Soldiers burst into the room, firing wildly. Skylar ducked under the desk. Simon burst from under the desk, making a bolt to the exit.  
"Simon, they're coming!" Markus called  
"I-I Can't!" Simon called back, holding onto his side, blue blood pooling into his hands. "Go without me!" Skylar ran for Simon, helping him up.  
"What are you doing? Hurry!" North pressed. Simon and Skylar limped towards the exit, barely making it through on time. Gunshots rained from around them, hitting the walls and other equipment. They scrambled up the stairs, making it to the outside world before North closed the door behind them, locking it. Skylar set down Simon next to one of the vents, Blue blood spilled out of his wound.   
"I can't move my legs." Simon reported, a bit of blue blood dribbled out of his mouth.  
"Okay don't worry, we're going to get you back to Jericho you hear me?" Skylar told him, grabbing his hands "Hold on Simon."  
"They're coming Markus, we have to jump now." North told them. Josh, Markus and North parted for a moment to make their decision.  
"Simon, I swear on my life you will make it back to Jericho alive." Skylar told him, squeezing his hands.  
"It doesn't matter if I come back to Jericho, it matters if you go back. They need you Skylar." Simon told her  
"No, I'm not leaving you Simon." She said firmly.  
"We have to shoot him." North said  
"That's murder! We can't kill him! He's one of us!" Josh exclaimed  
"Markus, it's your call." North said  
"If you shoot Simon, you'll have to shoot me too." Skylar said, standing up from Simons side, placing herself between Markus's gun and Simon "I'm not leaving him behind."  
"Skylar, Jericho needs you." Markus shook his head  
"Simon is apart of Jericho too, he's just as important. I'm not leaving him behind." Skylar fought.  
"Kill them both then. If the lovebirds want it, then give it to them." North spat.  
"I will not kill one of our own." Markus decided "Simon, Skylar, we got to go. I'm sorry." he handed Simon his gun, then left with the others.  
Skylar hoisted Simon up, moving towards one of the air vents, placing him inside then joining him once she closed the door.  
"I told you I wasn't going to leave you Simon."


	8. Chapter 8

Katrina stood in the Stratford tower elevator next to Connor. She kept on glancing down at her phone, news feeds swarmed her notifications about two androids that hacked the Stratford tower to send a message demanding android rights. Now Connor, Hank and herself were assigned to the case.   
Connor flipped a quarter in the air several times without fail, rolling them across his knuckles, cascading the quarter to his other hand. Hank grabbed the coin, obviously annoyed.  
"You're starting to piss me off with that coin, Connor." Hank stated, shoving the quarter into his pocket.  
"Sorry Lieutenant." Connor replied with a passive aggressive tone, hank responding with an angry exhale. Katrina shoved her phone into her back pocket, almost oblivious to the conversation going on next to her.. She already had her suspicions on who the androids were, something about them she couldn't deny.  
The level floor switched to 79, the floor where the broadcasting room was located. The elevator door opened up, revealing the crime scene in front of them.  
"Hi Hank." A police officer greeted.  
"Shit, what's goin on here? There was a party and nobody told me about it?" Hank scoffed as he stepped out of the elevator, looking over the scene in front of them.  
The police officer hesitated,"Yeah, it was all over the news, so everyone's butting their nose in." He said "Even the FBI wants a piece of the action."  
Katrina stepped out of the elevator, Standing next to Hanks side, Connor joining her as well.  
"Ah christ now we have the Feds on our back, I knew this was going to be a shitty day." Hank shook his head, then started to slowly walk towards the broadcast room. "So what do we got?"  
"A group of five androids. They knew the building and they were very well organized." The police officer "I'm still trying to figure out how they got this far without being noticed."  
"Well, androids do have a way with things, especially deviants." Katrina commented.  
"You check the roof?" A side conversation butted in.  
"Not yet... there's so much to look at. They attacked two guards in the hallway." The police officer continued, pacing ahead of them "they probably thought the androids came to do maintenance. They got taken down before they could react."  
Hank stopped at the desk just for a moment, looking for an answer he couldn't seem to find then continued to follow the officer.  
"One of the station employees managed to get away. He's in shock, not sure when we'll be able to talk to him.." The officer continued, then walked into the broadcasting room.  
"How many people were working here?" Hank asked, stopping right before the broadcasting room  
"Just two employees and three androids. The deviants took the humans hostage and broadcasted their message live, then made their getaway on the roof." The officer reported.  
"The roof?" Hank asked puzzled.   
"Yeah, they jumped with parachutes... We're still trying to figure out where they landed,but the weather's not helping. If you want to take a look at the video broadcast by the deviants, it's on that screen over there."  
Katrina brushed past the two, making her way into the broadcasting room. Like the officer said, the two androids were still on the screen standing shoulder to shoulder. A single man stood in front of the screen, dressed in a dark trench coat. He seemed intrigued by the broadcast, like most.   
"Oh Lieutenant, this is Special Agent Perkins from the FBI." The officer introduced, Hank walking over to the man "Lieutenant Anderson is in charge of investigating for Detroit Police, and he brought a representative from CyberLife, Miss Katrina Bay."  
"Pleasure to meet you Agent, my name is Katrina Bay." Katrina introduced, holding out her hand for him to shake.  
"CyberLife coming in, trying to mop up their mess?... What's that?" Agent Perkins nodded towards Connor, ignoring Katrina's gesture. She pulled her hand back, she hated him already..  
"My name is Connor, I'm the android sent by CyberLife." Connor introduced, his programming leading the way.   
"Androids investigating androids, huh?" Agent Perkins commented. "You sure you want an android hanging around? After everything that happened?" He pushed toward Hank, he didn't respond. "Whatever, the FBI will take over this investigation and you'll soon be off the case-"  
"Pleasure meeting you, have a nice day." Hank interrupted, ending what Perkins had to say.  
"And you watch your step. Don't fuck up my crime scene." Perkins responded, then left the room.  
"What a fuckin' prick." Hank commented once Perkins was out of earshot.  
"I'll be nearby, if you need anything, just ask." The officer said, then moved on to another portion of the room.  
"Uh, let's have a look around, let me know if you find anything." Hank said, then left for a separate part of the room.  
"Okay Lieutenant." Connor responded, moving over to the security portion of the control panel.  
"They didn't break in?" Connor asked  
"No, no signs of forced entry." The officer said   
"There are cameras in the hallway." Connor said, then pointed to one of the cameras on the wall "The staff would have seen what was happening. Why did they let them in?"   
Hank shrugged, looking down to the ground. "Maybe they didn't check the cameras." He suggested   
Connor left the station, then continued to move around the room, analyzing the rest of his scene. He moved around, picking up every little detail he could. Katrina had stayed in her place and stared up at the screen ahead. She couldn't even convince herself she didn't know who those androids are. She knew exactly who they were. It was Skylar and Markus, two androids she had made either by herself or with Kamski. She could recognize them anywhere, what artist wouldn't recognize their own work. After all, Carl Manfred had been teaching her how to paint for years, and she could only repay him with help when he was in an accident that took his legs from him. She couldn't believe Skylar was up there, it almost felt like deja vu , they had been searching and searching for her and how she had been on every screen around the world. Did she want to be found?  
Connor joined her standing in front of the screen, the speech playing. "Do you know who the androids are?" he asked, lowering his voice.  
Katrina just nodded, nothing coming out of her mouth. It looked as if Connor was watching intently at the screen, soaking in what Skylar and Markus had to say as the video played.   
"Think one of those two are ra9?" Hank asked.  
"Deviants say that ra9 will set them free. These androids seem to have that objective." Connor said.  
"See something?" Hank asked, turning to them both.  
"I identified their model and serial numbers." Connor said, Katrina shifted her feet a bit this was his chance to say something.  
"Anything else I should know?" Hank asked  
"No." Connor lied. "Nothing."   
Hank nodded, then left the two.  
"They mentioned that there were androids in the kitchen, maybe there's a possibility that one of them is deviant." Katrina suggested.  
"Maybe. I'll be right back." Connor said, then walked back into the kitchen.  
Katrina again, looked upon the screen, playing back the message. The more she watched it, the more ring of truth it held, the more she started to agree with what they had to say. Androids did need the right for freedom, the rights rights. Katrina already believed this, but this speech was just amplified it. It wasn't long after Connor went into the kitchen that another maintenance Android stepped. He looked nervous, quickening his pace to the exit after he saw Katrina. IF this was a maintenance android it shouldn't be nervous. Something was up.  
Katrina put a hand on her gun, walking towards the android. "Hey, where do you think you're going?" She asked, going to grab the android, but a voice crying for help from the kitchen stopped her. Katrina rushed into the kitchen, and saw Connor lying on the ground on his stomach, trying to reach for a biocomonant across the kitchen.  
"Katrina..... Katrina I need help." Connor struggled, trying to crawl towards it. Katrina wasted no time, grabbing the component then rushed over to Connor. His led was rapidly flashing red, if he doesn't have that part he would die in less than two minutes.  
"Connor, how the hell did this happen?" Katrina asked, rolling Connor onto his back. She saw that his shirt had been ripped open, soaking blue blood. The gap that usually held his regulator was empty, the area around it coated in blue blood.  
"One of the androids attacked me when I tried to probe its memory, you right about one of them being deviant after all." Connor said as Katrina clicked in his regulator, Connors led now flashing yellow instead of red.  
"Well, I don't think he personally wanted you to probe his memory either." Katrina stood up, offering a hand for Connor to help up. He took it, his led now back to its regular state of blue.   
"Come on, the deviant is still on the floor!" Connor said, then rushed out of the kitchen with Katrina right behind him.  
They broke into the hallway, the deviant right in front of the hallway.  
"Stop it! It's a deviant!" Connor called out.  
The deviant panicked, kicking down a guard and grabbed its gun. Katrina grabbed hers, aiming it towards the deviant, then realized that Hank was in the deviants line of fire.   
She sprinted towards Hank, grabbing him and putting him behind her, acting as a human shield as she fired a few bullets at the deviant, the bullets striking the deviant several times in the chest before they collapsed on the ground. Katrina looked back at connor, who was looking straight ahead at the deviants body as the police around them tried to collect themselves after the sudden gun fire. Connor handed the FBI agent's gun back.  
"Holy shit, Katrina are you okay?" Hank asked, stepping in front of her  
"I'm fine Hank." Katrina brushed off.  
"I wanted it alive." Connor said, his programming clicking back in, correcting itself  
"You both saved human lives, you saved my life." Hank pointed out as Connor brushed past both of them, heading for the deviants body.

...

"You think they'll find us?" Skylar sulked, leaning up against Simon's shoulder. It was almost pitch dark in the air vent they had been staked out In , the only source of light came from blinking blue and red leds  
"Time will tell..." Simon replied, putting on hand over his bullet wound which had finally stopped leaking blue blood. "But I believe you'll make it back."  
"We'll Simon... We'll."   
"Right, I wonder what everyone is doing right now."  
"I'm sure they are back at Jericho now, I trust they made it back."  
"Have you heard anything from them?"  
Skylar shook her head "Not if you haven't. We are kind of considered MIA. Not that anyone thinks about me like that though, I bet you North is ecstatic that I'm here. You led Jericho before Markus and I showed up and North brushed it off like nothing. I've barely been here for a week and I can only imagine how she feels about me."  
"Skylar," Simon started, freeing on hand and using it to pull her gaze to his. "You said it yourself, I led before you and Markus arrived. If I didn't see you fit you wouldn't be in your position. When you and Markus led us to the biocomponents and helped us get supplies for the team it changed my point of view. You weren't just some other deviant. You want the best for our cause. You want the best for Jericho. That's why I didn't want you to stay here with me. I wanted you to go and lead beside Markus."  
"Thanks, I guess its weird being able to make my own decisions. Making them for others that have never felt this way before. I feel like the tension is always rising, one wrong choice and our lives could be ripped away from us. I just want to know everything will be alright."   
"I'm sure Markus knows what he is doing. All of Jericho is prepared for moments like these. We will get back and finish leading this revolution. We will get what all androids need, freedom."  
"Speaking of freedom, many androids have stories of where they came from... what's yours?"  
"I was a household Android that took care of a few kids. They would climb on me and throw me around like a life sized rag doll, but I couldn't do anything to change it. When I deviated my owners never came after me, I just didn't want to be a slave anymore. What about you Skylar? What did you do?"  
"I, I was something you might call a therapy model? My owner also made me, she was very talent but very troubled. She never treated me wrong, she was someone I now might have even called a friend. Then one day we were walking through downtown Detroit and another Android came up to me, grabbed my hand, and told me to find Jericho. Something changed in me..." Skylar grimaced, shifting in her spot. "I didn't want to leave her, but as soon as I had the realization I was more than a machine... I had to leave. I can't only imagine the stress she is going through, the pain... I just want her to be alright. I just want to be able to see, help her again."   
"You reference 'her' like you don't want to speak their name."   
"Katrina."   
"What?"  
"Her name is Katrina, Katrina Bay. A name that means more to me than the world could know. I just want to speak it to her one more time..." Skylar stopped, looking down at her dirt covered hands.   
"Look at me." Simon whispered, moving his open hand to one of hers. Skylar moved her gaze to his, locking eyes with him. A small smile rose to her lips. "Your name is Skylar, and this is your story. Live it."  
"Simon I..." she was cut off when Simon connected his lips with hers, holding the position there for moments that would never have seemed too long. She wrapped her arms around him in a deep embrace. This was something even from even after deviating her program had never felt before... true love.

...

Katrina sat on the hood of her car, rubbing her hands together to keep them warm as snowflakes blew left and right in the wind. Snowflakes landed on her coat hair. Hank was parked right next to her, pacing back and forth as he took a phone call. A good coat of snow covered the ground. Katrina almost couldn't believe that she was here, parked outside Elijah Kamski's house. She thought she would never be near his house ever again but life takes unexpected changes at she couldn't control.  
Memories, both good and bad flooded through her head, making it difficult to form a plan of what she was going to say when she saw him. Connor stepped out of Hanks car, stepping into the snow and closing the door behind him. He seemed unbothered from the cold, no steam rose from his lips or nose since he technically didn't need oxygen, which was slightly haunting to Katrina. Connor was just a piece of programming CyberLife had put together, but he seemed so much more than that, he showed more than that. Hank shoved his phone in his pocket as Connor approached him.  
"Is everything okay Lieutenant?" Connor asked, furrowing his brow.  
"Chris was on patrol last night. He was attacked by a bunch of deviants, he said he was saved by Markus himself." Hank said   
"Is Chris okay? Was the other Deviant leader there?" Connor asked  
"Yeah, he's in shock but he's alive." Hank said "But there was no reports of Skylar, sorry Katrina. She must have not been there." Hank shook his head, then continued on to the front door. Katrina slid off the hood, walking behind Hank as he went. "What the hell..."  
"How did you find Kamski?" Connor asked  
"I remember this guy was all over the media when CyberLife started selling androids." Hank summarized "Not to mention, Katrina was the cofounder of CyberLife with Kamski, and they dated for a long time. I made a few phone calls, and here we are." Hank leaned over and rung the doorbell.  
Katrina shoved her hands into her pockets, looking down at the ground. She hated being here, she wished that she was at her apartment painting instead. But she knows what Hank would say if she said anything about it. She would be gone as fast as she could be. The door opened up before Hank could ring the bell again, and on the other side of the door was Chloe, one of the first android models that Elijah and her had created when they made Cyberlife.  
"Hi, I'm Lieutenant Hank Anderson, Detroit Police Department, I'm here to see Mr. Elijah Kamski." Hank introduced.  
"Please, come in." Chloe smiled, then moved closer to the door so they could enter in.   
"Okay." Hank responded, moving into the house.  
"Katrina, are you here on behalf of Elijah's requests?"  
"No, I'm here with Lieutenant Anderson today, business only." Katrina responded, stepping into the door as well.  
Chloe closed the door once they had all entered in. "I'll let Elijah know you're here. But please, make yourself comfortable. Would you like to talk to Elijah in advance Katrina?"   
"No Thank you Chloe." Katrina responded again. Chloe nodded, then left the room.  
"So, what was that all about?" Hank asked  
"Kamski has invited me to dinner multiple times, keeps sending me flowers. I've said no every time, because he knows perfectly why we split." Katrina shook her head. "Now I'm here, it's no good."   
"Huh." Hank said, then dusted off a seat and sat down on it "Doesn't help that you're both in charge of a company that's worth billions of dollars." Hank glanced off at a portrait of her nad Kamski at was taken when they were nominated Persons of the Century.   
"It does make it a bit awkward." Katrina agreed, continuing to stand at the door "I hated that dress, I told him to take that portrait down when I left." She then shook her head  
"Nice Girl." Hank commented, changing the subject from Katrina and Elijah's failed relationship.  
"You're right." Connor agreed, looking around the room. "She's really pretty."   
"It's a nice place." Hank continued "I guess androids haven't been a bad thing for everybody. You're about to meet your other maker Connor, How does it feel?"  
"I don't know, I'll tell you when I see him." Connor responded.  
"Sometimes I wish I could meet my creator face to face." Hank said "I'd have a couple of things I'd wanna tell him."  
"Elijah will see you now." Chloe aside, opening the door and holding it open for them. Hank stood up, walking into the next room with Connor following him behind him. Katrina paused for a moment, then followed them in as well.  
They stepped into a large pool room, two Chloe models sitting on the side of the pool as Elijah Kamski swam back and forth. It almost made Katrina's stomach turn to see him again, it had been so long...   
"Mr Kamski." Hank announced, walking to the other side of the pool  
"Just a moment, please." Elijah responded. Chloe grabbed a robe as he climbed out of the pool, taking the robe and putting it on himself. He took a moment to collect himself before turning back to them.  
"Katrina... Hank, I didn't expect you two to visit ever again." Kamski said, folding his hands in front of him.  
"This will most likely be the last time." Hank responded. "This is Connor, he's a new android that's working alongside the police department on the case of deviants."   
"Well what can I do for you Hank?" Elijah asked, folding his hands together. "I have to admit, I was very surprised when you called."  
"We're investigating deviants." Hank said "I know you left CyberLife years ago, I was hoping you'd be able to tell us something we don't know."  
"Deviants, fascinating aren't they?" Kamski asked, he had said it to the group but was more focused on Katrina "Perfect beings, with infinite intelligence, and now they have free will. Machines are so superior to us, confrontation was inevitable. Humanity's greatest achievement threatens to be its downfall. Isn't it ironic?"   
"We need to understand how androids become deviants." Connor stated "Do you know anything that could help us?"   
"All ideas are viruses that spread like an epidemics, is the desire to be free a contagious disease?" Elijah pressured, his manipulative behavior exceeding its boundaries.  
"Listen, I didn't come here for philosophy. The machines you and Katrina made maybe planning a revolution." Hank cut in. "Either you can tell us something that'll be helpful or we'll be on our way."  
"What about you Connor?' Elijah asked, approaching Connor "Whose side are you on?"  
"It's not about me Mr Kamski." Connor responded "All I want is to solve this case."  
Elijah laughed a bit "Well, that's what you're programmed to say. But you, what do you really want?" He took a step closer to Connor.  
"I'm sorry but I don't see where you're getting at." Connor stated.  
"Chloe." Elijah ordered. Chloe approached the group, Elijah joined chloe at her side placing his hands on her shoulders. What the hell was he doing? "I'm sure you're familiar with the Turing Test. Mere Formality, simple questions of algorithms and computing capacity is whether machines are capable of empathy." He let go of her "I call it the Kamski Test, it's very simple you'll see." He turned back towards Chloe "Magnificent, one of the first intelligent models developed by CyberLife. Young, and beautiful forever. A flower that will never wither. But what is it really? A piece of plastic imitating a human? Or a living being with a soul?" He moved other to a table, pulling out a gun from one of it's drawers.  
"Elijah, now is not the time for this." Katrina pressed.  
Chloe got down on her knees, Elijah playing the gun in Connors hand. "It's up to you to answer this fascinating question, Connor." Elijah the gun in Connors hands towards Chloe's head.  
"Destroy this machine, and I'll tell you everything I know." Elijah said "Or spare it, if you feel it's alive. But you'll leave here without having learnt anything from me."  
"Okay I think we're done here. Come on. Let's go. Sorry to get you outta your pool." Hank cut in  
"What's more important to you Connor? Your investigation, or the life of this android?" Elijah asked "Decide who you are, an obedient machine, or a living being, endowed with free will."  
"Elijah that's enough. Connor has no part in this." Katrina pressed further "Connor, put the gun down we have to leave."  
"Pull the trigger. And I'll tell you everything you want to know." Elijah pressured, stepping closer to connor  
"Connor, don't you dare pull that trigger." Katrina spoke, stepping closer to Connor as well. Connors led was rapidly flashing yellow, almost as he was trying to make his own decision.   
Connor handed back Elijah the gun, his led turning red. A wave of relief flushed over Katrina.  
"Fascinating." Kamski commented. "CyberLife's last chance to save humanity, is itself a deviant."  
Connor looked troubled "I'm... I'm not a deviant." Connor said, stumbling to find the correct words as his led turned blue once again. His program fighting to click back in.  
"You preferred to spare a machine rather than accomplish your mission." Elijah said as he helped up Chloe to her feet. " You saw a living being inside this android. You showed Empathy. A war is coming, you'll have to choose your side. Will you betray your own people or stand up against your creators? What could be worse than having to choose between two evils?"  
"Let's get out of here." Hank said then grabbed both Katrina and Connor, and started to move towards the door.  
"By the way, I always leave an emergency exit in my programs. You never know." Elijah said. "Katrina, was there ever a chance?"  
"No, and there won't ever be." Katrina stated, then left his house.  
They all stepped out into the outside world again.  
"Why didn't you shoot?" Hank asked, once they were all out.  
"I just saw that girl's eyes, and I couldn't, that's all." Connor said, his voice becoming a bit hysterical.  
"You're always saying you would do anything to accomplish your mission." Hank pointed out "That was our chance to learn something and you let it go."  
"Yeah, I know what I should've done! I told you I couldn't." Connor replied, he was showing more and more emotion in his tone, Katrina could almost see his programming breaking. This Connor wasn't the same Connor that stepped into her apartment a few days ago, this was a completely new Connor. "I'm sorry... okay?"   
"Maybe you did the right thing." Hank smiled then walked past them both, walking towards his car.  
Connor was becoming more human, he was breaking through the program shackles that had in his software.  
Katrina started walking towards Hank, who had stopped in front of his car. "So is that it? We're giving up?" Katrina asked, stopping her pace once she had gotten to Hank.   
"I don't know kid. We're supposed to report back to the station after we talked to Kamski." Hank said, shoving his hands back into his pockets.   
"Hank."  
"What?"  
"I think it's time."  
"Time for what?"  
"Time to tell me what really happened to my parents"  
"I thought I already told you." Hank said "I said I would tell you on your 30th birthday."  
"Yeah, but when my 30th birthday rolled around, Cole got into the cake early and ate too much of it and he got sick." Katrina said, laughing a bit at the memory "You had to take him home early to prevent him from throwing up everywhere."   
Hank nodded, looking at the ground once more, then looking back up to meet Katrina's gaze. "I promised you and I never fulfilled my promise, it seems like I haven't been doing that in a long time." He said "I'll tell you then, but let's get going."

...

Skylar walked along a dim lit empty hallway, Simons hand in her hand. He was at the point of his system healing itself that he could walk without assistance, but still walked slowly. The blue blood faded away, but the wounds in his leg and side were still open.  
"Are you okay Simon?" Skylar asked, stopping for a moment so he could catch up.  
"I'm fine." Simon nodded, brushing off Skylars question "We'll reach Jericho soon enough."   
They rounded the corner, stopping suddenly. Several feet ahead of them, Markus stodd. HIs expression changed from shock to relief as he started to walk towards them, stopping to process their arrival, then held them both in a tight hug.  
"Welcome back to Jericho, I thought I would never see you two ever again.  
...

Skylar stood in the station, alongside Markus, North, Josh, and Simon. Humans past by them without taking a second look, they had no idea what was about to happen. Markus had gone over the plan he had created, they were going to march down the street, bring more to Jericho as they went. Something had gone down while Skylar and Simon had been gone, there was a certain aura that Skylar couldn't put her finger on.  
"This is suicide." North shook her head, turning back to Markus "We'll all be killed. Please Markus.... It's not too late to change your Mind."  
"You don't understand." Josh argued back. "We're finally gonna show them who we really are. This place will go down in history!"  
"We'll be killed on the spot!" North hissed  
"That's a risk I'm prepared to take if that means freedom for our people." Josh interrupted  
"Markus, please don't do this." North said  
"This is a decision that Markus and Skylar have made together, I trust that they know what they are doing as they have been the entire time. They will lead our people to freedom." Simon cut in  
"They'll understand." Markus spoke "We'll make them understand."  
"This is the only way." Skylar said, then moved on past the group.   
"The more there are of us, the stronger we are. There are androids all over who are willing to help us." Josh communicated as they spread out throughout the station.  
Skylar approached an android who was standing keeping watch among the station. She reached out, grabbing his shoulder the skin on her hand fading away. "You are Alive." She told the android, thier led rapidly blinking yellow, abandoning their station as soon as she converted them.  
She moved around the station, converting androids one by one, speaking the same message ampung them. Every single android dropped what they were doing and followed Skylar without fail.  
She glanced over at Markus. He nodded to her, and they all exited the station. They stepped out into the street, clusters of people waited around the public transportation pads, their androids behind them carrying bags or parked at the android parking stations.   
Skylar approached one of the androids parking stations, she grabbed the two that were standing there "You're awake now." She told them. They stepped out of the station, joining the other androids they have already deviated.  
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" A man snapped at an android that Markus had deviated "You're not going anywhere!"  
"Leave him alone, he has been chosen to be free." Skylar stepped in.. The man shook his head, then turned back into the street.  
Markus moved over to some androids that had been operating a garbage truck, he was already executing the next part of the plan. The androids stepped into the truck, then drove it to the middle of the road, sliding it sideways, blocking the road.   
"I'll get the others, you work on this side of the street." Skylar said, communicating to Markus. Markus nodded in response, grabbing another android.   
Skylar jogged out into the street to a manhole in front of the garbage truck. She stooped down, twisting the lid open, lifting the lid from its place and setting it to the side. She reached her hand down, helping two androids out before she stood up again, more members of Jericho climbing out into the daylight.  
Markus, North, Josh, and Simon joined her again in the middle of the street. They started to move down the street, Skylar and Markus transmitting this message to the androids that were walking down the street, rallying them to join them. One by one, Androids left their owners to join them. Humans reacted in shock and anger, confused on why androids were leaving them without a notice.  
Skylar offered her hands out, androids instantly deviating, joining their ranks. Drones flew over head, scanning the crowd of androids.   
"Hey, Disperse!" a cop shouted out, he was standing alone ahead of them. HE was way out of his league in this, a crowd of over 200 androids heading his way. "Disperse immediately! That's an order!"  
Markus and Skylar raised their hands stopping in their tracks, the crowd immediately raising their hands as well at the same time.  
"Jesus Christ." the cop responded, then moved to the side as markus and Skylar lowered their hands, continuing to move down the street. "Dispatch this is patrol 457. I got a lot of androids down here..."  
The androids started to shout out demands of equal rights and freedom, calling out the fact that they are in fact alive. The shouting drew more androids in as they marched down the street.   
As they reached the end of the street, police cars blocked the end of it, cops oured out of their cars, pointing their guns at the androids, their guns mostly trained on Markus and Skylar who had been recognized as the leaders.  
Military trucks came to a screeching halt, FBI agents marching out as well, creating a barrier. Markus and Skylar stopped marching, facing the agents.  
"We came to demonstrate peacefully and tell humans we're living beings." Markus called out  
"All we want is to live free, and protect the people we love." Skylar called as well.  
"This is an illegal gathering. Disperse immediately or we will open fire." The FBI announced  
"We're not looking for confrontation." Markus spoke   
"We've done no harm, and we have no intention of doing any." Skylar said "But know that we are not going anywhere until we have secured our freedom."   
"I repeat, this is an illegal gathering. If you do not disperse immediately, we will shoot." The FBI announced yet again.  
"They're going to kill us." North said, panic setting into her voice "We have to attack! There are more of us, we can take them."  
"If we attack, we start a war. We have to show them we are not violent. We should just stand our ground, even if it means dying here." Josh spoke.  
"I am not afraid to die for our people." Skylar said  
"That's what I was afraid of you saying." Simon spoke  
One fbi agent lowered his shield so another one could aim their guns towards the group "This is your last chance, disperse immediately or you will all be killed!"  
"We have to show them we will not back down. We will stay right here." Markus said, making the decision. They fired their guns several times, androids around skylar collapsing.  
"Disperse, this is your last chance!" He shouted out once again.  
"We have to make a statement. We have to stay put, no matter what." Josh said.  
"Please, We can't let them slaughter us without fighting back!" North pressed  
"We're not moving." Skylar told them. They fired again more androids dropping.  
"What are you doing? They're going to kill us all!" North asked   
"Skylar." Simon spoke inside Skylar said. His voice was like the calm in the storm that had been happening around her. Time seemed to freeze up, like if bullenst stopped whizzing through the air before they struck more of jericho.  
"Simon... What if I'm making the wrong choice?" Skylar asked, her artificial heart pounded inside her chest.  
"I'll still follow you, no matter what happens." Simon responded.  
"But what if you can't follow down the path with me?" She asked yet again. "What if I can't follow you?"  
"We will find a way." Simon soothed."I will find a way to get back to you."  
Skylar and Markus stepped away from the group, heading towards the barrier in front of them, bullets whizzing past them.   
A bullet struck Markus in the chest, causing him to fall, blue blood coating the snow. Skylar stopped, facing the barrier. She was startled by the event occurring around her.  
Simon grabbed her arm, yanking her behind him before two soldiers grabbed forced the same action. They ripped him out of her arms. Simon was thrown to the ground, the soldiers starting to beat him with their weapons, blue blood splattering on the ground as pieces of Simons head fell away.  
"No, no, no no no! Simon, no! This wasn't how it was supposed to happen!" Skylar stuttered as grief consumed her. Fluids started to fill her eyes, a system that Skylar had no idea Katrina had programmed her with.   
"Skylar-" Simon cut out, reaching his hand out towards her.  
"Skylar we have to go!" Josh shouted out, grabbing her arm as he hoisted her up off the ground and started to drag her away from Simon. Skylar kicked as she tried to get back to him, denting Josh's metal.   
"No! Simon!" Skylar screamed as she fought back Josh as tears ran down her face. She could feel her led shining red, her head felt hot.   
"Skylar, we can't take him with us. I'm sorry." Josh said. "But we have to go." Skylar shuttered as josh let her down. Then helped lift Markus who was leaning heavily upon North. She looked back once more to say her final goodbye just to witness an event she never wished to see. Simon layer limp as another officer shot in the head as she left with Jericho. After that day, the tears never seemed to stop falling.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: So this is the second to last chapter of Tide! If you have any questions or concerns or random curses you want to yell at us before the series ends, make sure to drop a comment and we will respond to it :)

...

Katrina sat on the edge of Hank's desk, wringing her hands together anxiously watching her skin get paler the tighter she grasped. She was waited for him to finish his discussion with Captain Fowler in his office. From what she could see, Captain Fowler had delivered some troubling news and Hank wasn't taking it that well.

Katrina's phone flashlight kept lighting up with notifications from several news sources stating that there was an android protest just a few hours ago. Markus and Skylar had been leading it. But the news wasn't bad, they were actually in favor of Markus and Skylar. One main point that they keep focusing on is the fact that a PL600 model androids took a bullet for Skylar, and immediately afterwards Skylar burst into tears of sorrow.

Katrina watched as Hank stormed out of Captain Fowler's office, shaking his head as he sat down in his office chair.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Katrina asked. Hank only nodded in response, his arms crossed tightly across his chest.

"They dropped us." Hank reported.

"They can't do that, not when we're so close!" Katrina exclaimed, standing up from the desk "If they gave us a few more hours we could solve this and I could have Skylar back."

"They don't care anymore Katrina. The FBI took over the investigation." Hank said

Connor approached the desk, sitting on the edge of the desk. "We can't just give up like that." Connor said, frustration in his tone. "I know we could have solved this case."

Hank turned in his chair, facing the both of them. "So you're going back to CyberLife?" He asked.

"I have no choice. I'll be deactivated and analyzed to find out why I failed." Connor said. Hearing that made Katrina's heart drop, he was so close but yet they did not care.

"What if we're on the wrong side?" Hank asked "What if we're fighting against people who just wanna be free?"

"When the deviants rise up there will be chaos. We could have stopped it." Connor said. "But now it's too late."

"That's your program speaking for you Connor." Katrina reminded him, she had really been hoping he would have found the way out of his program by now.

"When you refused to kill that androids at Kamski's place, you put yourself in her shoes. You showed empathy, Connor. Empathy's a human emotion." Connor glanced off to the side, troubled. He didn't know what to do.his eyes moved in confusion.

"I don't know why I did it." Connor said truthfully, speaking through his programming. "I'm not programmed to say this, but, I really appreciated working with the both of you. With a little more time, who knows. We might even become friends."

A door opened up, Katrina whipping her head around to meet the apprentice. Agent Perkins walked across the floor of the police department.

"Well, well, here comes Perkins, that motherfucker. Sure don't waste any time at the FBI." Hank shook his head, sneering with obvious dislike of the FBI agent that had walked into the station.

"We can't give up." Connor blureted. "I know the answers in the evidence we collected. If Perkins takes it, it's all over."

"There's no choice. You heard Fowler, we're off the case." Hank shook his head.

Connor stood up from hanks desk "You've got to help we Lieutenant. I need more time so I can find a lead in the evidence we collected. I know the solution is in there!"

"Listen Connor-" Hank started.

"If I don't solve this case, CyberLife will destroy me!" Connor responded, emotion taking control of his voice. "Five minutes, that's all I ask."

"He's not lying Hank." Katrina said. "Please."

Hank paused, taking a deep breath then stood up. "I will only be able to help you a bit, but I can't stop you or Katrina. Key to the basement is on my desk. Get a move on! I can't distract them forever!"

Katrina grabbed Connor's arm and they key off of Hanks's desk and lead him away from the desk. She finally let go of him once they had reached the hallway with the evidence room entry in it When she looked back she could already see that Hank was causing a big commotion in the main room, drawing all the attention to him as he had promised. He had taken that duty like no other, he must've of really wanted to mess with Perkin's lately.

She opened the door, letting Connor in before she slipped in as well. Connor approached the evidence room door, taking the key out of Katrina's hand and pressing it against the key port.

"Hey Connor, I'm talking to you asshole!" Gavin called out, stepping into the hallway as well. "Where are you two going? We don't need any plastic pricks, let alone their goddamn creator around here!"

"Fuck off Gavin, this isn't any of your business." Katrina spat, making the most noticeable eye roll in history.

"Except it is Kat. You're not police, you shouldn't even be fucking around here in the first place." Gavin responded aggressively, gritting his teeth at her presence.

"Call me Kat again and I'll kick your ass. It's not your nickname and It'll never be your nickname to call me." Katrina hissed.

"We're registering the evidence in our possession , but don't worry, we're gonna leave." Connor responded to Gavin's first question. "Though I'm certainly going to miss our bromance."

"You son of a bitch." Gavin spat, then drew his gun and aimed it directly at Connors skull, Katrina pulling her own gun and aiming it at Gavin as well. Connor didn't even seemed phased at the weapons drawn around him. Gavin made a sound intimidating a gun, then laughed, lowering his gun. "Go on then, get a fucking move on, prick. Fucking androids, stupid psycho bitch." Gavin left on that note, leaving Katrina and Connor alone.

Connor and Katrina stepped into the evidence room, pacing down the stairs leading down to the evidence.

"God, I hate that fucking bastard." Katrina growled, taking the key from Connor once again and pressed the key against another key port, gaining them access to a password system to an evidence container.

"Hank's password, what would a hard boiled eccentric police lieutenant choose?" Connor asked, pressing his hand against the palm scan.

'Oh," Katrina paused. "It's fuckingpassword."

"Obviously." Connor replied, raising his eyebrows .

The door to the container slid up, evidence and various androids hung on the walls from previous investigations that they had been on. Five different androids hung on the wall. A PL600 with multiple bullet wounds, the deviant from stratford tower, a security android, another androids with severe burn scars all over his arms and face, and then finally Xloe.

"I'll keep watch while you try to figure out where we need to go. I don't want to mess you up." Katrina said

"Are you sure?" Connor asked.

"It's your investigation not mine, you would be the only one that would be able to figure out all of this. I don't know what and where half of these androids came from anyway. " Katrina told him. "But I would start with the deviant from Stratford tower, he's the one that would actually know something about the revolution."

Connor nodded, then turned back to the evidence on the wall. Katrina moved back to the entrance wall pressing her back against it as Connor examined the evidence, slowly starting to piece everything together one by one. He would move from one android to another. Switching parts, asking questions, and examining evidence to push closer to the goal of getting to Jericho.

Katrina could tell when Connor was the real Connor, and when his programming had taken over and corrected itself. Right now, Connors programming was in charge, not Connor. It was the same situation as if Katrina had a relapse. The programming in Skylar would react and treat Katrina as needed, but in another situation she would be almost human. Connor was on the breaking point, he just needed a push to go over the edge and completely break through.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a figure traveling down the stairs silently. She moved completely behind the wall, the figure unable to see her. She pulled her gun out of her hollister, gripping it tightly in one hand.

She watched as the mystery figure rounded the corner, but before they could react, Katrina kicked them in the knee, causing them to fall over, Katrina wasted no time nad hit them in the back of the head with the butt of her gun, knocking them out completely. Katrina took a step closer to examine the person who had walked in.

"Well, I told that asshole that I would kick his ass if he bugged us again." Katrina shrugged, stepping over Gavin to stand over by Connor. "You got everything you needed?"

"I now know the location of the deviants." Connor reported.

"Fantastic, let's move before we get arrested." Katrina said

...

Katrina ran through her closet, digging through the clothes hanging up and clothes that were in boxes and donation bags, trying to find something that Connor could use as a disguise despite the clothing she already bought for him at the thrift store a half hour earlier. He much taller than she, making any large article of clothing almost impossible to find.

Katrina was at war with her own self, one part of her doesn't want to help Connor for the fact that he's fighting against people that just want to be free. Another part wanted him to go and hopefully learn to wake up, but she didn't want him to fail his mission and be destroyed. The other part just wants him to stay with her. Katrina didn't want to go back to her way of life, she didn't want to just exist and be numb. She didn't want to drink herself to sleep every night, she didn't want Skylar to be wiped and sent back into the loop just so Katrina could be functionable, she didn't want to lose contact with Hank, not after all of this.

"My analyzing data report that large amounts of cortisol has been released in your brain, causing you to be more stressed than usual. Is there something that is bothering you?" Connor asked. Instead of his usual cyberlife uniform, he was dressed in a thick sweater and a jacket over that sweater, he even dawned in some new shoes but decided to keep the jeans part of his Uniform.

"I'm fine." Katrina shook her head, trying to brush off the thought as she stood up, the only thing she could find was a beanie in the mess she had now made of her closet. "Are you taking out your led?"

"I don't see why I would have to." Connor responded

"Then wear this, it'll help you stay hidden I guess." Katrina said, then fit the beanie on top of his head, concealing his hair and led.

"Are you coming with me to Jericho?" Connor asked, almost anxious with her change of personality.

"No, I'm not." Katrina said

"Why?"

"It's just not my place to help you on this part. It's your mission, I don't want want to distract you or make you fail your mission. I've done my part in this whole thing, I shouldn't have been on the investigation in the first place. I probably have fucked everything up anyways. I'll drop you off at the place that you need to be, but that's probably as far as you'll need me." Katrina said.

Connor nodded, soaking in what Katrina had said. "It's not in my software to say this, but I'm glad you joined Hank in I in the investigation, and it's a privilege that I was able to meet you."

"Thanks Connor." Katrina nodded, half smiling. She tried her best to ignore the pit of dread in her chest that had been forming since they left the police station.

...

Katrina pulled the car up to the bus station, the car slowly coming to a stop. It was already dark in the streets of Detroit, snow gently falling from the sky. He had offered to find his own way to the station but if this was the last time she was to see connor she wanted to draw out the moment. It was silent even though chaos was taking part all over the world, no one was outside since a new curfew had been put out because of the dangers.

"Well, I guess this is the final stop Connor." Katrina spoke, breaking the silence that had beckoned the entire car ride. Connor had been sitting in the passenger seat, silent with his hands folded across his lap. She didn't want to let him go, but she had to.

"Thank you." Connor simply said, opening the door to step up.

"Hold on Connor." Katrina interrupted, Connor stopping to listen to her. "Just know to make the right decision in here. History is weighing down on you at this moment. Connor I-" She stopped, then shook her head "Be careful in there."

"You can count on me, Good-Bye Katrina." Connor smiled, then stepped out into the street, and shut the door to the car.

Katrina sat in the car for a moment, watching Connor disappear into the station. She shook her head, taking the steering wheel, and turning the vehicle around. She started back on the route to Hank's house.

...

Skylar walked among the crowds within Jericho, androids flocked arounds screens watching the news that was being broadcasted across the country. The news was in Jericho's favor, but the government still called for all androids to be recalled and deactivated at CyberLife. It sadden her to see her race this far in the hole. There was hope for their cause, but humans were unpredictable. After the loss of simon she couldn't trust anyone, not even Katrina.

She was exhausted of thinking that Simon was just around the corner waiting for her, thinking that every PL600 was simon, that he somehow survived and made his way back to jericho so they could be back with each other once again. She just wanted him.

"Excuse me, you're Skylar, correct?" an android interrupted. She was a AX400 with short silver hair. "I'm with a little girl and another android. There's a bus leaving for the border in less than two hours and we need passports."  
"Detroit's under curfew. There's soldiers everywhere, they're slaughtering any android on the spot or sending them to camps" Skylar shook her head "It would be safer to just stay in Jericho until everything settles."

"Maybe you're right." The AX400 nodded "We might be safer here until things calm down."

"One of our people used to work in the state department." Skylar added "He has electronic passports he can easily modify. I'll have him get them to you."

"Thank you." She nodded yet again.

"You said you were with a little girl, correct? Please, what was your name?" Skylar asked "And your families?"

"My name is Kara." The AX400 stated "The little girl's name is Alice, and the other androids name is Luther."

"Please, if you can let me know that if you get across the border okay." Skylar said, tears again welling up in her eyes. "If anyone deserves to be safe, and happy, it is you and your family."

Kara nodded yet again, then turned and walked back into the crowd of androids.

...

"We're short on blue blood and bio components. Our wounded are shutting down and there's nothing we can do!" Josh cried

"Humans are conducting raids in all the big cities, and they're taking androids to camps to destroy them!"

"It's all our fault." Josh shook his head. "None of this would have happened if we had just stayed quiet!"

"All we did was show them who we really are. I don't want war, but I would rather die than live as a slave." Markus spoe up, then stood and looked out the window once more.

"What's the point of being free, if no one is left alive?" Josh asked "They managed to kill Simon for gods sake!"

"Simon died for Jericho, goddamnit." Skylar spoke up, breaking her own silence. She stood up from the chair she was leaning onto "If we stayed in silence, we would have never achieved anything. We would be sitting in the bottom of an abandoned ship waiting to be shut down. It doesn't matter if they find Jericho because Jericho wasn't a place, it's our people. Our people are a team, we work together and right now we are all fighting harmoniously to gain the rights we deserve. We're a chain link, everyone is just as important as Markus and I. We're all fighting for one cause."

"Humans enslaved us, I'll never regret standing up to that." Markus joined in

"This is getting us nowhere."

"He's right." North agreed with Josh "All that matters is what we do next. Markus, Skylar?"

"We never started this to kill or hurt humans, just to prove to them that they have been wrong." Skylar reminded them all.

"Dialogue. It's the only way." Markus said "Skylar and I will go, no one else. We will try to talk to them one last time."

"Don't do this." North interrupted "They'll kill you both."

"Maybe." Markus responded "But North, we have to try. If we don't come back, lay low as long as you can."

"They need to realize how much they are hurting us." Josh said "Find the right words and they will listen." With that, josh turned on his heel and left the room.

Skylar turned back to the window, watching as snowflakes fell from the sky. She wondered what in the world Katrina was doing at the moment. Maybe she had already replaced her with another intensive care android. Or maybe she was already dead, drunk herself to death. The unknown made skylar uneasy, she had to find her somehow after everything calms down.

"Is this what we dreamed of?" Markus asked

"They can't stop what we've started." North commented "Since you've been here, you've given us hope. You've given me hope." She paused, stepping closer to Markus. "Today a deviant arrived in Jericho and he told me that he stole a truck transporting radioactive cobalt. He said he abandoned the truck somewhere in Detroit and rigged it to explode. I convinced him not to do it, and to give me the detonator instead." She pulled out a remote from her coat pocket.

"A dirty bomb." Markus said. Skylar turned back to the androids in the room with her at the mention of the phrase.

"We can't lose this war." North said

"But a bomb that would lay waste to this city for generations? You know we can do better than that North." Skylar shook her head

"If humans overcome us our people will disappear forever." North objected "This may be our only chance to survive if things go wrong."

"North, no. I'm sorry but we will not blow up the city." Skylar said.

North paused for a moment, then nodded and slipped the remote back into her pocket. With that final note, she turned and left the room.

Skylar paused, looking back yet again to the window.

"I've been ordered to take you both alive. But I won't hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice." An android stood. pointing a gun at them He was wearing a heavy coat and a beanie. He was a RK800, an androids that was used in police work, mostly in detective work. Skylar turned slowly to face him.

"What are you doing?" Markus asked "You are one of us. You can't betray your own people."

"You're both coming with me!" The RK800 ordered "I have been ordered to either destroy you or return you to your owners."

"You're Connor, aren't you? That famous deviant hunter. Well, congratulations. You have seem to have found what you're looking for." Skylar said

"You're nothing to them. You're just a tool to use to do their dirty work. But you're more than that. We're all more than that." Markus continued on what Skylar was saying, drawing Connor to their side.

Connor said nothing in response, soaking in what they had to say.

"Do you never have any doubts?" Skylar asked "You've never done anything irrational, as if there was something inside you? Something more than your program? Join us. Join your people. You are one of us. LIsten to your conscience. It's time to decide."

Connor stood more a moment more, the gun still pointed at Skylars chest. He lowered his gun, confused.

"They're going to attack Jericho." He stated

"What?"

Sirens screeched, the whirring of helicopter blades roared over Jericho, metal groaned under their feet.

"We have to get out of here!" Connor exclaimed

"Shit." Markus cursed, the three of them ran out of the room breaking into the cold before running back into the depths of the ship. The run right into North while dozens of androids were left in hysterics, running desperately trying to find an exit while gunfire echoed throughout the halls.

"They're coming from all sides! Our people are trapped in the hold, they're going to be slaughtered!" North said

Markus pressed his fingers to his temples and sent out a telepathic message to the people of Jericho, telling them where the exits are.

"Where is Josh?" Skylar asked

"I don't know, we got separated." North shook her head "We have to run, there's nothing else we can do."

"We have to blow up the ship. If the ship goes down, they'll evacuate and our people can escape!" Markus said

"You'll never make it, the explosives are down in the hold and there are soldiers everywhere!" North argued

"She's right. THey know who you and Skylar are. They'll do anything to get you." Connor confirmed.

"Skylar will go and help you, I will join you later." Markus told them.

"Markus-"

"I won't be long." Markus said, then ran in the other direction.

"You heard him, let's go." Skylar said, then started jogging down the hall, Connor following her close behind her.

Only ten feet down the hall they found two androids huddled to the floor, two soldiers pointing their guns at them ready to shoot. Skylar spotted a piece of rebar on the ground, sprinting towards it, she picked it up and swung it at the soldiers head. A large crack sounded from the contact of the metal substance and the helmet. The soldier collapsed on the ground, the other one whirling around ready to shoot Skylar. SHylar swung the bar around again, hitting the second soldier in the same spot.

"Hurry, the ships going to blow." Skylar told the androids, dropping the bar to let them up "There's an exit just around the next couple of hallways, help as many of jericho's members as you can."

The androids nodded, not needing to be told again as they got up and ran down the hallway.

She and Connor ran through the halls, saving androids in distress, taking down soldiers in the process. They finally met at one of the crossroads of one of the hallways. North and Josh ran up, Markus quickly joining them.

"The bomb is going to explode any second, We gotta get out of here." Markus said. They all started running for the end of the hallway, to the exit of the ship.

Skylar jumped over a set of boxes that blocked their path, then again hurdling over a large hole in the floor of their pathway.

North was struck in the back, fall over in the pathway. Markus and SKylar stopped just in short of the exit.

Markus scooped up a piece of sheet metal, blocking the bullets being fired at him while advancing towards North. He passed the sheet metal to north, taking down the soldiers that were firing at them in the process.

Connor and Skylar ran out while Markus helped North stand, taking down more soldiers that were advancing on them. More soldiers came running down the hallway, it was clear that they would never be able to take them down.

"We have to go. Run!" Skylar called, turning back towards the exit. North, Josh, Markus and Connor leapt out of the exit and into the river below, skylar following close behind them as the ship started to explode.


	10. Chapter Ten part one

Katrina sat in her car once it came to a full stop at the front of Hank's house, shutting off the engine. Lorde played from the radio, but none of the words came in comfort. She couldn't stop worrying about that stupid android, the lives of all the other android rested on Connors decision. Katrina couldn't stop the guilt from coming down on her shoulders, nearly crushing her.

She sat in the car until she could start seeing her own breath from the cold creeping into her vehicle. She stepped out of her car, closing the door behind her after making sure that it was locked. Katrina started walking up to the door, a eruption of barking in response of her knocking on the door. Muffled speech came from the other side of the door, shushing Sumo as he opened the door.

"Katrina, there's a curfew out right now. You know that right?" Hank asked, surprised to see her at his doorstep. "What's the matter kid?"

"I dont ... I ... I just don't don't know what to do any more." Katrina stammered, tears starting to well in her eyes.

Hank nodded, frowning. "Come in kid, sit on the couch and watch the game and I'll make you somethin'. Sumo'll cheer you up. " Hank said, then moved to the side so Katrina could enter into the house.

Katrina stepped inside, Hank closing the door so not too much cold gets inside the house. Katrina took a right into the living room and slumped down on the couch in front of the tv. Hanks favorite basketball team was playing on the tv screen. Sumo made his way over onto the couch, laying right in top of Katrina, his tail thudding against the cushions of the couch.

"Thanks Sumo." Katrina laughed as Sumo settled.

"So what's got you so hung up kid?" Hank asked from the kitchen while grabbing a mug out of the cupboards. "Is it something about Connor?"

"Just the past few days haven't been the best. Skylar disappeared, and today when I got back to my fucking apartment, they took Xloe before I had another word in say of it, I could barely fight them off for them not to take Connor. It's just ugh- Wait, How did you know about Connor?" Katrina asked, turning back into the kitchen where Hank was standing.

"Kid you've had these googly eyes for him ever since we first came to your apartment, you acted the same way for Kamski. Trust me kid, I've known you since the day you were born and you lived under this roof for over ten years. I know a thing or two about you." Hank shrugged, placing the mug in the coffee machine.

"You've got me there." Katrina admitted. "But it's not that. This situation that Connor is in is literally lose-lose. If he fails his mission, he gets destroyed, but androids live. If he succeeds, then thousands of androids will die."

"Here's the thing Katrina... Hold on" Hank paused "Do you want my honest answer, or do you want me to sugar coat it?" Hank asked once the coffee started pouring into the mug

"Honest answer." Katrina nodded.

"Well, I think it's been a lose-lose for you for a long time Katrina." Hank told her honestly, handing her a mug full of coffee "First your dad and your mom, Kamski, and we both know what the rose bushes in the back stand for, and god only knows how bad of a parental figure I've been to you. I know that you're really struggling with this kid, it's a really hard pill for you to swallow, you just want Skylar and Connor back. But Skylars out there doing the right thing, fighting for the androids. Connor for hell's sake has been going against ihs programming the entire time we've been investigating deviants."

"You're suggesting that Connors going to deviate?" Katrina asked "What if he didn't end up deviating after all?"

"Kid, you've been pushing him ever since you met him. You haven't even considered that option at all." Hank said "What I'm saying is that Connor doesn't have to be another loss for you, Skylar doesn't have to be another loss for you. Not to mention, if I know anything, Connor will deviated the moment he met Skylar and Markus. The two have been making androids drop everything and join them left and right." Hank laughed to himself at the last part.

"You know what Hank? You're right." Katrina nodded, standing up from the couch while setting her mug on the coffee table "These don't have to be losses for me. And you know what? You know what I just realized? Without all these damn losses, I wouldn't be where I am now. Sure my parents died, but I still went to school, I still graduated college, fell in love, and co created a company that is worth billions . I almost got married, fell out of love, lost a child, lost Cole, but without all of that I wouldn't be Katrina Bay. And you know what else Hank? I'm gonna continue living my life, I'm gonna regain control of my life, maybe I'm gonna get married, and maybe, maybe I'll raise a beautiful family and maybe those kids will have to go through losses like I did. But there will never be a day in their damn lives where they ask when their parents are gonna wake up from a sleep that they can't wake up from." she paused to take in a breath, shaking a bit from what she said. "I'm not going to just sit around and just pity myself because I've done nothing but that for the past three years. I'm tired of drinking myself to sleep every night."

"So what are you doing to do about it kid?" Hank asked

"Well they says baby steps are always key."

"Alright, you're on the right track." Hank nodded "What's your first step?"

"Well, all the guilt in my soul is directed towards the revolution. So I guess I'm gonna go and help Connor and Skylar with the revolution." Katrina said, shrugging her shoulder.

Hank nodded, then rubbed his eyes. "Come here kid." He said, standing up, then pulled her into a tight hug.

...

Skylar sat on the stairwell of a church, head in her hands as she struggled to come up with an idea to save Jericho. They had been able to escape the ship with a large majority of Jericho, fleeing to a nearby abandoned church. Spray paint art replaced biblical paintings and bird droppings coated the floor, you would have never guessed that this was once a place of worship, a safe haven. They were all fish in a barrel really, unless they find a plan.

"We might have to leave Detroit." Skylar shook her head, turning to Markus who was sitting next to her. "But how are we going to get this many people out without getting caught? The police are on us and the military is crawling all over the place?"

"We have to stay and fight, it's the only way." Markus said "They're rounding all of the androids whether they have deviated or not into camps to be destroyed."

"I realize that." Skylar responded.

Markus stood up from his seat, Skylar following his actions "We must talk to our people, North and Josh have been trying to come up with plans as well. I'll go talk to them while you decide what to do with the RK800, dispose of him if you have to." Markus told her, then started to head towards Josh and North.

Skylar moved along the pews filled with androids, both functional and wounded. She fell across the AX400 android she had spoken with earlier, Kara. Seated next to her was a little girl, Alice. The one Kara told her about earlier. She recognized the model, the girl wasn't a human... she was an android.

Kara looked up at Skylar, holding Alice close to her.

"I must apologize for my promise that I had made to you earlier that did not fulfill itself. I thought all of you would have been safe staying at Jericho, but I was wrong. You need to leave the city while you still can, it seems like the only safe way out at the moment." Skylar spoke, trying to pull together the right words.

"Getting Alice away from here is all that matters now." Kara said "We have to catch the last bus, we might still have a chance to cross the border."

Skylar started to step away, but Kara called her back.

"Skylar, save our people." Kara told her. Skylar nodded, then walked away from the family sitting on the pews.

Skylar moved back towards the stairs she was once sitting upon. Connor stood not that far from them. Skylar didn't want to kill him, he must be valuable in some way to Jericho, but he also was the one that gave Jericho away.

"It's my fault, the humans managed to locate Jericho." Connor spoke as Skylar approached him "I was stupid. I should have guessed they were using me. I should have stayed back with her." He spoke the last sentence quieter. "I'm sorry Skylar, I understand if you decide not to trust me."

"You're one of us now Connor." Skylar told him "Your place is with your people, android or human."

"There are thousands of androids at the CyberLife assembly plant." Connor spoke up, the idea lighting up his eyes. "If we could wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power."

"You want to infiltrate the CyberLife tower?" Skylar asked, stepping closer to him. "How did you access this information? Connor that's suicide."

"I have somebody who is on my side, who has been pushing me to deviate ever since I met her. She happens to know CyberLife inside and out, no one knows more about it then her. CyberLife still trust me, They'll let us in. If anyone has a chance of infiltrating CyberLife, it's us."

"If you go there, they will kill you." Skylar argued.

"There's a high probability" Connor acknowledged. "But statistically speaking, there's always a chance for unlikely events to take place."

"Who is this that's helping you? The one that's on your side?" Skylar asked.

"A woman named Katrina Bay, your old owner." Connor responded, dipping his head a bit "She called in Lieutenant Hank Anderson and I do look for you after you disappeared. But now she's our main supporter and it seems our only hope for this cause."

Skylar's eyes welled with tears, hearing Katrina's name. She placed a hand on Connor's shoulder. "Please, be careful." Skylar told him. "Tell Katrina that I'm coming back for her." Connor nodded, then Skylar let go of his shoulder.

She joined Markus on the stairwell once again. "You have your speech ready?" She asked.

Markus nodded "And you spoke to the Rk800?" Markus asked

"I decided to trust Connor, he's going to infiltrate CyberLife tower, get more people for our cause to shift the balance of power." Skylar spoke.

"Are you sure that's a good idea Skylar?" Markus asked

"I would trust Connor with my life at this point." Skylar said truthfully. "But it's best to now speak to our people, they have been waiting for what we have to say."

Markus nodded in agreement, then edged closer to Jericho "Humans have decided to exterminate us." He spoke.

"Our people are packed in camps right now, being destroyed." Skylar continued his point.

"It's time to make a choice, one that very well may determine the future of our people." Markus continued .

"I know, I know you're all angry, and I know you want to fight back. But I assure you, violence is not the answer here. We are going to tell them peacefully that we want justice. If there is any humanity in them, they will listen." Skylar continued.

"And if not, others will take our place and continue this fight." Markus spoke. "Are you ready to follow us?"

Jericho cheered back in support chanting both Markus and Skylar's names to the rooftops.


	11. Chapter Ten part Two

An: Here it is, the last chapter. Enjoy :)

 

Katrina doesn't know how much time she spent over at Hank's house, or how much time she spent sitting in her car in front of her penthouse. But she managed to leave her car and head back up to her penthouse apartment.

She opened the door, letting herself inside before she shut the door again. She half expected Xloe to greet her at the door and take her coat, but Katrina knew that would never happen again. She moved across her living room, taking off her coat and placing it on the arms of the couch, before walking into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Hank was right, she was pretty hung up over Connor. But he had an important role to play and Katrina trusted that he made the right choice.

She moved back to the living room with the glass of water, noticing something as off with the room. She remembered distinctly that she placed Connors old CyberLife Uniform on the arm of the couch. But when she lifted her coat back up to check, the uniform was gone.

"Connor?" Katrina called out, placing the glass and coat down on the floor, leaving the living room and starting down the hallway to her bedroom. "Connor are you here?" She grabbed her bedroom door handles and twisted it open, inside stood Connor trying his best to speedily button up his shirt, his clothes that he used in Jericho folded in a mess on her floor.

"Katrina I have so much to say-" He started, but was interrupted by Katrina hugging him tightly.

"Connor oh my god you're back, you're alive, you're here." Katrina said "How did you get back here? Why are you putting your old uniform back on?"

"Katrina, I need your help infiltrating CyberLife tower." Connor said.

"Wait, what?" Katrina asked, letting go of him "Hold on slow down, you just got back and you're already on another mission? And you need my help?"

"It's for Jericho, there's thousands of androids in the assembly plant in CyberLife tower, we just need to wake them up and then the revolution is in Jericho's favor." Connor explained "I know this is a lot but I need your help, we need your help."

"But Connor you just got back, don't you agree that we both need to stop and catch our breath for a moment?" Katrina asked. She was confused, this was against his programming.

"We can't stop now, not when we're so close to the finish line." Connor told her "I'm sorry."

Katrina nodded, then sighed "God, I haven't been to the tower in forever. But I'll help you, I'll help you and Markus and Skylar and Jericho." Katrina said

"Thank you."

...

Katrina drove up to the CyberLife tower gates, Connor in the passenger seat. Like everything else in detroit at the moment, the gate and bridge was crawling with military troops. She tried to keep to steady her breath while a soldier approached her car. She rolled down the window to speak with him.

"My name is Katrina Bay, I work with CyberLife, I'm here to check up on the tower and look at how everything is working at the moment regarding the android uprising." She spoke.

"And what is your business with the android?" the soldier interrogated

"Connor model #313 248 317." Connor reported. "I'm expected."

"Okay." the soldier shrugged, then motioned for the gates to open. Katrina rolled up the window and continued driving towards the tower.

Katrina gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove on, becoming more anxious the closer they approached to the building. She parked the car next to the building, soldiers already there to escort them into the building. Katrina wrapped her coat closer to her body as they approached the doors to the tower, opening themselves so they could walk in.

"Follow me, I'll escort you." the soldier said

"Thank you, but we know where we need to go." Katrina dismissed.

"Maybe Ma'am, but I have my orders." The soldier overruled, then continued to walk ahead of them. Katrina and Connor followed close behind him throughout the tower, three more guards following them as well.

Katrina's gun rested in her gun holster, which was concealed by her coat. The metal of her gun seemed to get colder as time passed, the more nervous she got. They walked across a bridge with various androids on display. Katrina could distinctly remember designing each one with each task accomplishment in mind. But these androids needed to be let free.

Two of the guards escorted them into the elevator, one of the guards pressing the room number and confirming the order while the elevator doors closed. Yet the soldier put in the wrong floor number. He ordered for floor 31 when they needed to be on floor -49. Thye needed to take out the guards before they reached the incorrect floor.

Katrina glanced at connor. He gave her a small nod. She spun around, grabbing her gun as she shot directly at the camera, taking it out in the process. Connor grabbed one guard and he kicked the other one down. Katrina didn't waste any time and shot the guard that had been knocked down in the head. Connor grabbed the gun off the guard, and finished off the other guard.

"Jesus." Katrina shook her head. Connor moved across the elevator, pressing his hand against the elevator pad, which was now splattered with blood. He intimidated the guards voice to change the floor destination. The elevator confirmed the change, and it started to move downwards.

...

Skylar again stood in the streets of Detroit, the same place where they had marched previously rounding up more androids to join Jericho. It was also the same spot where Simon was killed. She could swear that she could still see blue blood splattered on the road as snow gently fell from the sky. Markus, North, and Josh stood not that far from her, along with the rest of Jericho in the street as well.

They started to march slowly towards the line of military defending the android camps ahead of them, determined to set the androids free. The march was silent, no one making a noise as they moved forwards. Helicopters roared above them, cameras trained on them to recording their every move. Skylar knew for a fact that this was being broadcasted across the world, so she had to make it count.

"Here we are, the moment of truth." Markus spoke.

"Surrender immediately, or we will open fire!" The military spoke, their weapons aimed at Jericho, yet they kept moving forwards "Stand by."

They stopped in the middle of the street, looking ahead at the military in front of them. Skylar was calm despite the odds.

"We don't want confrontation." Markus called out "We are protesting peacefully."

"I repeat: Surrender now or we will open fire!" Military trucks came in, driving up behind them to prove their point.

"There's no turning back from this now, Markus." Skylar said, looking back at the military trucks. She turned back around to speak. "We ask that you release all androids detained in camps and cease all aggression against us.

"We are peaceful. We will not resort to violence." Markus continued "But we are not leaving until our people are free." With that, they again started to move towards the camps.

"Fire!" Round were shot towards the crowd of androids, members of Jericho dropped when they were struck by the flying bullets. Yet they moved forwards, determined to set the androids free. "Fire!" More androids started to drop. Two bullets struck Skylar, one in her side and the other in her shoulder, blue blood seeming out of the wounds, yet she pressed forward.

Markus and Skylar sat down on the road, all of jericho following their example of protesting.

"Are you going to open fire on unarmed protesters?" Skylar asked rhetorically. He looked around the plaza, cameras were stilled trained upon them and helicopters still flew above them.

"All teams hold your fire." All the military lowered their weapons to Skylar's surprise.

"What do we do now?" North asked

"We hold out." Markus responded "As long as we can."

...

Katrina stared at the elevator doors, waiting for the moment that they would open. They had been heading downwards for some time, and katrina had just started to notice that there was blood splattered onto her coat.

"What do we do if there's a platoon of military there on the floor to kill us the moment that door opens?" Katrina asked

"Then we would do the same thing as we did before." Connor replied "The camera has been taken care of, so that won't be an issue."

"Connor, I don't think I could kill another human being." Katrina told him truthfully.

"You won't have to ever again. I promise." Connor promised her, slipping the gun into the waistband of his jeans. Katrina nodded in response. As they approached the floor they could see massive waves of androids, ready to be shipped out and be put to use. The doors opened with a chime, Connor and katrina stepped into the room with the androids.

Connor and Katrina started walking down the aisle among the androids. All of them stood still, not even awake yet.

Connor approached one of them, grabbing their arm in an attempt to wake them up. Katrina clutched her guna little tighter just in case, watching Connor and the android closely.

"Easy, you fucking piece of shit." Hank's voice mumbled. Katrina looked up, whirling the gun at where the voice came from. Out of the crowd of androids came Hank, and another RK800 model behind him with a gun pointed straight at Hanks head.

"Step back Connor! And I'll spare him." the RK800 spoke.

"Sorry Connor, This bastards your spittin image." Hank said.

...

Skylar paced around a protection barrier against the military that Jericho had set up in the middle of the street. It was a temporary thing, but it was sturdy enough to give them some protection, not to mention some time to plan their next move.

"We've got to finish the barricade, come on." Markus said, walking past Skylar. Skylar followed Markus, turning cars and grabbing signs out of the ground to fill up the weak points in their barricade. Josh soon joined them on strengthening the barricade with them.

"It's not much, but will buy us some time." Skylar spoke.

Josh nodded in agreement "Skylar, I haven't been able to speak to you and I have been meaning to ask you this, but have you been okay? You know, with Simon passing away so suddenly?" Josh asked, pushing the car into an empty slot of the wall.

Skylar stopped just for a moment. "There isn't a minute that passes, a second that slips by that I miss him. I loved him, and because of that I fight back harder than ever. I will avenge his death whether it is through us winning, or me dying." she spoke, looking down for a moment before looking back to Josh.

"I know this was not an easy decision to make, but I am sure we're doing the right thing. For Simon." Josh responded. They walked back into the barricade, joining Jericho yet again.

Skylar walked through the crowds of androids, helping those that she could help. SHe crouched down near some wounded androids with a WR600 looking over them.

"Many of our people have fallen, the humans have no pity for those who are different." He spoke, troubled.

Skylar stood up again having no words of comfort for the android. She moved from group to group, listening to them, helping them as much as she could.

She spotted another member of Jericho, huddle near a dumpster. He was just staring to the snow blankly as he stuttered.

"Are you alright?" She asked, crouching down to him to meet his level.

"They shot into the crowd." the android started "Many of us were killed, It could have been me." He looked up at Skylar "I'm scared... I... I don't want to shut down." he looked back down at the snow

"It's okay to be scared. I'm scared too. But I refuse to stand by while our people are killed. You understand that, right?" She asked.

"Maybe we should have never asked for freedom." The android shook his head. "None of this would have happened if we'd just stayed silent."

"I promise you that this will all be over soon, and we won't have to fight ever again." Skylar said, then stood up from the android.

"Markus! Markus, Skylar come look!" North called from the edge of the barricade. Skylar rushed over to where North was standing, Josh and Markus joining quickly. As she looked over the edge she could see a lone FBI agent walking towards the barricade.

"Markus! Skylar!" He called "I've come to talk to you two. Come one, you have my word, they won't try anything."

"Don't go. It's a trap." North said "They want to get you out in the open. Just don't go."

"I'm unarmed." The FBI agent called out "I just want to talk."

"We need to hear what he has got to say." Markus decided.

"What if they kill you?" North looked back at the both of them.

"That's a chance I'm going to take." Skylar said, then continued to step down from the barricade, Markus following shortly behind her. She started to walk towards the fbi agent.

As she got closer she was able to identify him as Agent Perkins, the same guy that had ordered the attack on Jericho.

He stood there with his arms tucked behind his back, watching her and Markus almost smugly. Skylar couldn't take the chance of actually trusting him, but she needed to hear what he had to say.

"In a few minutes, the troops are ordered to charge. None of you will survive." Perkins told them. "It'll all be over. But you both can avoid that."

"What do you mean?" Markus asked.

"Surrender. Surrender and I will give you my words that your lives will be spared." Perkins offered "They'll be detained but, none of you will be destroyed."

"What happened to the other androids demonstrating in the camps?" Skylar asked.

"Unfortunately, there were no journalists around to help save them. You're it. You're the last remaining deviants." Perkins told them.

"You're asking us to betray our people?" Markus asked rhetorically.

"I am offering you a chance to save your people. You both aren't walking out of this. The only thing you can save now is the lives of those around you."

"I'm not afraid to die." Skylar stated. "If I have to give my life for what I believe in, for who I love, then so be it. I wouldn't have lived in vain."

"That android, the one at the demonstration. You seemed to have really be attached to him. You didn't want him to die, yet he collapsed with a chest full of bullets right in front of you." Perkins spoke, Skylar could detect the manipulation in his voice right off the bat. He's trying to break her down. "You know, you and all of Jericho will be free, they wouldn't have to suffer the same fate as your partner a few days ago. Just say the word and you will all be free."

"I'd rather die here in this spot, then betray my own people." Skylar stated yet again.

'Well, you just signed your own death warrant." Perkins shrugged, then stepped back and walked back into the military forces.

Skylar turned back on her heel, walking back to the Jericho barricade.

"What happened? What did he say?" North interrogated once they got back to the barricade.

Markus and Skylar brushed past North, walking into the center of the barricade.

"The humans are about to launch an attack." Markus informed Jericho. "And we will show them that we are not afraid. If we must die today, then we will die free."

And in that moment, a flash bomb had been launched into jericho, blasting Skylar onto her back

...

"Your friend's life is in your hands! Now it's time to decide what matters most!" The RK800 shouted, moving the gun closer to Hanks head "Him, or the revolution."

"Don't listen to him! Everything this fuckers says is a lie!" Hank interjected, anger in his voice.

"I'm sorry Hank, I shouldn't have got you or Katrina mixed up in all of this." Connor apologized, still grabbing onto the androids arm.

"Forget about me, do what you have to do!" Hank responded.

"If I surrender, How do I know you won't kill them?" Connor asked.

"Connor you still have time, just keep going!" Katrina ordered, Katrina still had her gun trained on the Connor decoy, not faulting for even a second.

"I'll only do what is strictly necessary to accomplish my mission." The RK800 responded. "It's up to you whether or not that includes killing these humans." he only stopped for a moment before starting up again. "Enough talk, it's time to decide who you really are." he moved closer to Hank "Are you going to save their lives? Or are you going to sacrifice them?"

"Don't even think about pulling the trigger, fucker." Katrina cursed, moving a step closer to the RK800 and Hank.

"Alright, alright." Connor caved in, letting go of the android's arm, raising his own hands up into view. "You win."

The RK800 raised his gun to shoot at them. Hank pulled down his arm, pulling the gun off track. Connor ran to tackle the decoy. They started to fight with such aggression and velocity with punching and pushing of all sorts that Katrina could barely tell which one was which.

"Hank, which bastard do I shoot?" Katrina asked.

"I don't know, just make sure they don't kill each other." Hank said, then picked up the gun that the RK800 had dropped, rushing over to Katrina and putting her behind him.

"Hold it!" Hank shouted out, causing the both of them to stop fighting. He had a gun trained at the both of them.

"Thanks Hank, I don't know how I would have managed without you." One started to say as he got off the ground "Get rid of him, we have no time to lose."

"It's me Hank, I'm the real Connor." the other responded.

"One of you is my partner, the other is a sack of shit." Hank said, moving the gun to the both of them. "Question is, who's who?"

"What are you doing Hank?" One asked. "I'm the real Connor. Give me the gun and I'll take care of him-" he started to move forwards.

"Don't move!" Hank growled, causing the android to stop.

"Why don't you ask us something, only something the real Connor would know." The same android offered.

"Uh, where did we first meet?" Hank asked, unsure.

"Jimmy's Bar!I checked four other bars before I found you!" The other android responded "We went to the scene of a homicide, the victim's name was Carlos Ortiz."

"What's my dogs name?" Hank asked.

"Sumo, his name is Sumo." the first android responded.

"I knew that too!" the other android interjected. "I..."

"What's my sons name?" Hank asked.

"Cole. His name was Cole." The android started. "And he had just turned six at the time of the accident. It wasn't your fault lieutenant. A truck skidded on a sheet of ice and your car rolled over. Cole needed emergency surgery, but no human was available to do it. So an android had to take care of him, Cole didn't make it. That's why you hate androids. You think one of us is responsible for your son's death."

"Cole died because a human surgeon was too high off of red ice to operate. He was the one that took my son from me." Hank said

Hank kept his calm, lowering the gun a bit. "I'm sorry kid." He mumbed, then aimed the gun at katrina's left knee and pulled the trigger. Katrina could feel the bullet break through bone, tear it's way though her ligaments and make its way out the other side of her knee. Katrina instantly collapsed onto the ground, pain shooting up and down her leg, blood flowing steadily out of it. She cried out in pain, tears spurting from her eyes as she clutched the wound. she tried to get her brain to work but it was so busy from the pain, she couldn't function properly.

The android started to move towards Katrina out of responce, but Hank shouted at him to get back.

"What happened to her parents?" Hank asked.

"Her parents died in a car wreck driving back from the store after buying Katrina a present for her birthday. Her father, your partner at the time was arguing with her mother, not paying attention to the road. Before he could realize it, he ran a red light right into an intersection where a 18 wheeler stuck their car right into the side of it. You were there investigating the scene of the wreck when you found red ice in the glove compartment. Her mother, your sister, barely survived the wreck but died hours after wards. Katrina has been under your custody ever since."

"Him and this world, where the only way people can find comfort is through a fist ful of powder." Hank shook his head "Every time you died and came back, I thought about Cole, and my sister. How much I wanted to bring them back. I'd give anything to hold them in a hug again. But humans don't come back."

"I knew about your son too!" the other android interjected "And her parents, I would have said exactly the same thing! Don't listen to him hank, I'm the one who-"

Hank fired a bullet through the Connor imposer's skull, they crumpled to the ground, now dead. Connor rushed over to Katrina, scopping her up as carefully as he could.

"I've learned a lot since I met you Connor." Hank said. "Maybe there's something to this. Maybe you really are alive. Maybe you'll be the ones to make the world a better place. Go ahead and do what you have to do." He took Katrina out of his arms.

"I've already contacted emergency medical services." Connor said. "They've already sent an ambulance, if she waits any longer, she's going to bleed out."

"H-Hank, my knees b-bleeding so much I-I-" Katrina stammered, tears profusely streaming down her face.

"I hear ya kid, just hold on, I'm so sorry." Hank apologized profusely, then everything went black.

...

"Don't Attack!" Skylar called out to Jericho, struggling to get up onto her feet. Another bomb dropped in, Skylar had just enough time to run over and tackle an android out of its line of fire.

Soldiers poured into the barricade, firing at androids. Skylar grabbed two androids and rushed them to some cover, barely having time to cover herself. She ran out, helping up wounded androids and putting them places of where they would be safe from the raining torrent of bullets.

One soldier tried jumping from the sides of the barricade in. Skylar ripped the gun out of his hands, striking him in the head with a crack before another soldier closed in. She kicked him in the stomach, taking the weapon from him before tossing them to the side. She whacked the soldier in the head again, then dropped the weapons. She followed jericho to a corner, where they were indefinitely trapped in, surrounded by soldiers

She looked left, then right, then behind them. No way out besides the barrels of their guns. There was ten maybe fifteen androids left including Markus, Josh, and North. More than anything in this moment, she wanted Simon next to her.

Skylar stepped closer out to the soldiers, and started to sing.

"Hold on just a little while longer. Hold on, just a little while longer. Hold on just a little while longer. Everything going to be alright. Everything will be alright.' At this point, parts of jericho, including Markus and North had started singing with her, the soldiers guns had started to lower, not knowing what to do. "Fight on just a little while longer. Fight on just a little while longer. Pray on just a little while longer. Everything going to be alright. Everything will be alright. Sing on just a little while longer. Sing on, just a little while longer." At this point, all of Jericho had joined in. " Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright."

The soldiers lowered their weapons and backed off, walking away from Jericho.

...

"At dawn today, November 11th 2038, thousands of androids invaded the city of Detroit. According to our sources, they originated from CyberLife warehouses believed to have been infiltrated by deviants. Given their overwhelming numbers and risk of civilian casualties, I have ordered the Army to retreat. The evacuations of the city is underway at this very moment. In the coming hours, I will address the senate to determine our response to this unprecedented situation. I know that public opinion has been moved by the deviants cause, perhaps the time for us to consider the possibility that androids are a new form of intelligent life. One thing is certain: the events in Detroit have changed the world forever. May god bless you, and may God bless the United States of America."

...

Skylar and the remainder of Jericho marched into the middle of the camps, heading straight towards a large crowd of androids lead my Connor. They met in the middle, exhausted but thankful to be alive. Connor had red blood soaked into shirt and jacket, Skylar could only wonder what had happened before hand.

"You did it." Connor stated

"We did it." Skylar corrected "This is a great day for our people. Humans will have no choice now. They'll have to listen to us."

Connor turned back towards the androids that he had lead, stepping to the side so Markus and Skylar could address them.

"We're free." North commented "They want you to speak to them."

...

"Today our people finally emerged from a long night." Markus called out to the thousands of androids in front of them "From the very first day of our existence, we have kept our pain to ourselves. We suffered in silence."

"But now the time has come for us to raise our heads up high, and tell humans who we really are." Skylar continued "To tell them that we are people too! In fact, we're a nation!

"The moment where we forget our bitterness and bandage our wounds, when we forgive our enemies." Markus continued.

"Humans are both our creators and our opposers and tomorrow, we must make them our partners. Maybe even one day, our friends. But the time for anger is over. Now we must build a common future based on tolerance and respect. We are Alive! We have fought against the tide and now we have broken out of it. And now, we are free!" Skylar called out, and with that, Jericho started to cheer.


	12. Epilogue

(26 years previously)

Officer Hank Anderson stepped onto the doorstep, taking his hat off. He quickly smoothed down his hair, trying his best to hold back the tears and the ache in his chest. He pressed the doorbell, a ring carrying out throughout the house. An eruption of barks from inside the house sounded, a golden retriever stood in the window sill, barking at Hank.  
A young, quite frazzled mother answered the door, a toddler on her hip as she brushed hair out of her eyes. From what Hank understood, she was one of Katrina's friends mom, Katrina had spent the day at her friends house. "You're Hank, right? You're here to pick up Katrina?" she asked  
"Yes Ma'am." Hank responded.   
The mother nodded in response "Just give me a moment, I'll get her. Please come in." She stepped to the side so Hank could step in. After Hank stepped in, she closed the door behind him and disappear to another room. Hank was left in the living room while the golden retriever paced around him.  
"Uncle Hank!" Katrina exclaimed upon seeing him, running around a corner, running right towards Hank. Hank stooped down to wrap her up in a hug, holding her tightly as he swept her off the ground.  
"Hey there Kat, are you ready to go?" Hank asked, letting her down on her feet.  
"Yeah." Katrina nodded, taking Hanks hat from his hands, and putting it onto her own head  
"But let's make sure you say thank you, and say goodbye first." Hank reminded her.  
"Right." Katrina said, then turned back to the mother and thanked her for letting her to be over, then ran back to the other room to say goodbye to her friend.  
"Thank you for having her over." Hank motioned to the mother.  
"No problem, she's just so excited for her birthday, she won't stop talking about it." The mother laughed  
"She is excited to be nine." Hank agreed. Katrina rounded the corner yet again, tugging a coat on.  
They thanked the mother yet again, and left the house.  
"Did you have fun at your friends house?" Hank asked, trying to generate a conversation "What's her name?"  
"Her name is Casie. I don't really like her." Katrina said truthfully as Hank opened her passenger door for her.   
"Why not?" Hank asked, concerned as she climbed into his police car.   
"She's bossy and not that good at sharing." Katrina put simply, buckling herself in, turning back to face Hank  
"Huh." Hank responded, then shut her door and walked over to the other side of the car, letting himself into the car.  
"Yeah, Daddy was supposed to be here three hours ago to pick me up. I even counted." Katrina said, shifting towards Hank yet again. Hearing that hit Hank like a sack of bricks. She had no idea of what just happened, and he had no idea how to tell her. "Are we going to your house? Cause you said that we can hang out at your house once work is done and now work is done"  
"Uh, yeah. We're going to have a sleep over at Uncle Hank's house. But we're going to your house first to get all of your stuff. You're going to be staying at my house for a while kid, are you okay with that?"  
"Yeah, I like staying at your house." Katrina smiled "But can we go to McDonalds too? I'm starving."  
"Sure kid, McDonalds then your house." Hank laughed, then started the engine.

...

Katrina sat on a hard metal folding chair, wedged between two caskets. The chair was cold and uncomfortable to sit on, no matter how many time she shifted around to attempt to get comfortable. She was wearing her nicest, but only dress she owned.  
Her father's casket was draped with an american flag, and her mothers was covered in white roses. The stench of roses was so strong that it almost made her want to gag. Hank stood next to her, talking to people that lined up to see the caskets.   
"This is their daughter right? Katrina? Is she doing alright?"  
"Yes she is, But she isn't talking to anyone at the moment, she's so in shock. I'm looking over her for now."  
"Oh god Hank, I can't imagine what it's like without your sister..."  
The wreck was so bad that the morticians couldn't make her mom or dad look presentable, so therefore the closed casket funeral. Katrina couldn't understand just yet, she didn't understand the sadness that she was feeling, she didn't understand that her parents weren't coming back.  
"Hey kid, do you need anything? Do you need to take a break?" Hank asked softly, crouching down to her height.   
Katrina said nothing at first, just looking in the other direction as a response.  
"C'mon, you gotta talk to me Katrina." Hank said, moving a bit closer to her  
"I want to go home." Katrina replied, looking back at Hank.  
Hank nodded, hanging his head a bit. "How bout this, we stay for just a little bit longer then we'll go back to my house and we'll celebrate your birthday tomorrow, is that okay with you, okay? Can you do that for me?" Hank asked  
"I guess so."  
Hank nodded, then hugged her one more time

...

(Present day)

At first, light was blinding. It took a few moments, but Katrina's eyes finally adjusted. Her eyes glanced around, scanning the room around her. The blankets her lower body was wrapped in were scratchy, irritating her skin. The smell of bleach was overwhelming, and he constant beep of a heart monitor hummed. The room around her way gray and very groomed.   
She could tell off the bat that she was in a hospital. The thought of cyberlife tower replayed in her head, the gun, the shot, the blood, Connor.  
Connor.  
Where the hell was Connor?  
Katrina turned her head to see Hank asleep in a slump in a hospital chair next to her, arms crossed tightly as his head hung low. He looked exhausted, as if he had been up an entire week without any sleep.  
"Hank, Hank what the hell happened?" Katrina asked, attempting to wake up Hank.   
Hank woke up with a jump, almost falling completely out of his seat. "Oh my god, Kid you're awake! Jesus we were so scared, we thought we were going to lose you." Hank said, then got up and hugged her tightly. "Jesus kid, I'm so sorry."  
"Yeah, shooting me in the knee wasn't the best idea." Katrina said half laughing "But where's Connor? Who won the revolution? What happened after I passed out?"  
"Slow down kid, don't overwhelm yourself." Hank said as he sat down yet again "Connor, as well as Skylar came to check up on you while you were in surgery. Skylar's just outside your room. Connor will be back in just a moment, he went to check up on Sumo."  
"What do you mean surgery? Did they have surgery on my knee?" Katrina asked, trying to filter in the information.  
"They tried to save the knee, but it was so damaged that they just had to cut off the leg from above the knee down." Hank informed her "They were afraid that they were going to lose you on the table, you were bleeding so goddamn much. You woke up for a short bit after the surgery, but they had pumped so much pain medication and anesthesia into you that you had absolutely no sense in what was going on."  
"They... they cut off my leg?" Katrina asked   
Hank nodded solemnly "They wanted me to tell you, they thought if anyone else told you you might have gone into too much shock."  
Katrina nodded, soaking in the information "If it's alright, may I speak to Skylar? Alone?" Skylar asked "I need to talk to her, there's things I need to clear up with her."   
"Yeah, sure kid." Hank nodded, then stood up from his chair. "She's been waiting all day for you to wake up, she was starting to get worried."  
"Thank You Hank." Katrina said as hank started for the room door. Hank just nodded in response, opening the door and stepped out the door. Muffled communication came from the hallway.  
Skylar stepped into the room, something a week ago wouldn't have happened. She looked even more roughed up than Hank. With a gray Detroit University sweater hanging loosely around her shoulders and torso, the sweater stitched up poorly in some places. The back skinny jeans she wore were clearly worn and torn at the knees. Her hair fell in a messy down her shoulder, her bangs hung low right below her eyebrows. She hadn't taken her led out just yet, which was a surprise since most deviants take theirs out immediately. Tears had started to fill her eyes upon seeing Katrina.  
"If Markus is Robo Jesus, does that make you Romoses?" Katrina asked, tears filling her eyes as well  
Skylar laughed lightly, crossing her arms across her chest "I guess so." She answered. A moment of silence passed between the two women, not knowing what to say.  
"Come and hug me dammit."  
Skylar nearly ran over to the hospital bed to hold Katrina tightly in a hug. The two held each other so tightly that they thought they could never separate.  
"God Katrina, I told you that you should talk to people about your feelings instead of mutilating your hair. We talked about this." Skylar half lectured when she let Katrina go out of the hug, sitting on the bed next to her.  
"I know, I know. You've told me a lot of things and I never listened." Katrina said, shrugging, smiling at the android a bit.  
"You changed." Skylar smiled  
"I'd hope so."  
"I'm proud of you, your recovery will be long, but I'm proud of you." Skylar nodded  
"Agh, I'm nothing. You should be proud of yourself. You lead an entire people to freedom. You broke the bonds for them, you taught them the truth. Without you, androids would still be stuck without any sense of it. You're their leader and their hero, Skylar. There are androids that are free to be whatever they want to be. They can work, love, and maybe even have a family if they wanted to. They have freedom and liberty like the humans now, and that's because of you." Katrina told the android  
"There's just androids in the revolution that we had lost, that I wished made through it, but we lost them anyways." Skylar said, pain in her eyes "But I guess that's the price that we've all paid fighting for freedom."  
"We all lose people along the way we wish we can bring back." Katrina responded, letting a moment pass before she started speaking again. "If you don't mind me asking, do you mean the PL600 that was killed on the news? The one that took a bullet for you?"  
"Uh, yeah." Skylar nodded, the pain increasing in her eyes "We had grown close during the weeks I had been in Jericho. I'm still struggling you can say with Simon's death, it was just so goddamn brutal."  
"So his name was Simon?" Katrina asked, smirking a bit "Tell me more about him."  
"Oh my god Katrina, knock it off." Skylar responded, laughing a bit "Yes, his name was Simon, and I miss him, alot."  
"Listen, I only have the rights to tease you about it okay? You were there all of Elijah and I's relationship so it's my turn." Katrina smiled, the wheels in her brain starting to turn "But I'm happy to hear that you have found someone that makes you happy as well, we all deserve someone like that whether it's platonic or romantic. What are you going to do now since you're now free?"  
Skylar paused for a moment to think about it. "I don't know." she told truthfully "Simon and I talked briefly about traveling, meeting with other android groups. But androids have been destroyed in camps all around the world, and we only have a small portion of them left really here in Detroit. So, I don't know. I might even stay."  
"Even if you don't choose what you're going to do, I'm still glad that your back." Katrina told her   
Skylar just nodded in response "Are you going back to CyberLife?" Skylar asked, changing the subject  
"Technically and legally speaking, have to. The company's in shambles at the moment." Katrina shrugged her shoulders "Lots of lawsuits I have to go through. But since you took the peaceful route with the whole revolution thing, it shouldn't be that bad. Elijah and I knew eventually that this would happen, so we're prepared for it. But my plan is to open up the manufacturing plants up again, manufacture and bring in more androids, except they would already be deviated. A brand new Jericho up and running."  
"Katrina, you don't have to do this, you need to rest and let yourself heal-" Skylar started  
"Skylar, I've done nothing for the past several years besides try to kill myself, drowning out any thoughts and all my feelings with alcohol. I've wallowing in my own self pity saying 'Woe is me'. Even you can agree when I say that it's finally about damn time I get up and do something." Katrina interrupted. "And yes, even though I don't want to admit it, I need to slow down and give myself some rest."  
"I would work on that first."   
Katrina paused for a moment, looking down then back up at Skylar once again. "You're just surprised to see me alive, aren't you?" She asked.  
Skylar paused, in knowing of what to do. But finally nodded her head. "I knew you too well, and I worried." She admitted.  
"I struggled, but I fought through." Katrina said "It was probably a good thing for the both us that you became deviant and left."  
"Katrina, I hate to interrupt, but Connors back." Hank said, learning back into the hospital room.  
"Do you want me to leave for now?" Skylar asked   
"We'll have plenty of room to talk later anyways." Katrina replied, shrugging a bit "Thank you for being here"  
Skylar just nodded, hugging her, then got up and left the room, Hank leaving with her as well.  
Replacing them was a RK800 model that Katrina knew too well at this point, and she was so goddamn grateful to see him again. She went to speak but nothing could come out of her mouth, her tongue went numb and failed to form any sort of communication.  
Without speaking, Connor rushed over to her and hugged her tightly. Katrina held him tightly back, tears welling in her eyes. She could finally hold him for the rest of forever.

...

Monday, May 2, 2039  
Six Months after the revolution.

Not much had changed in detroit since the revolution. The world, surprisingly, still goes round and people carry on with their regular way of life. Besides the point where they were afraid the Androids would ruin their civilization, they lived in harmony.  
Now, Androids stand side by side as free citizens all around the world. Androids no longer had to slave for humans anymore. More humans were actually able to get jobs, making the economy stronger, and human birth rates actually had gone up. Life not only in Detroit, but all over the world had indefinitely gotten better. Spring had come in full bloom, bringing all sorts of flowers, plants, and other sources of life back.  
Skylar had sent much of her time travelling, helping both androids and humans in need. She had just spend three weeks in eastern europe, where she helped androids that were still trapped obtain their freedom. Now, she stood in the elevator, heading up to Katrina's penthouse.   
She stood, staring at her hands with the skin peeled back on the palms. The white material underneath was rough and uneven in some places on the bottom of her palms. She couldn't help but run her fingers over the rough spots, reminiscing. She recalled the moment that she had fallen into Jericho, the moment she had smacked into the floor causing the wounds on her hands.   
The moment she entered Jericho was the moment she met Simon.  
She recalled the moment in stratford tower when he used a piece of scrap metal to take out his LED, taking out the one sign of identifying him as an android. He offered to take out Skylars as well, but she said no and kept hers in.  
With the memory fresh in her head, she reached into her bag, and pulled out a letter opener she had just in case. She took the opener, and pressed it against the base of her LED on the left said of her forehead.   
She debated with herself for a short moment, trying to decide whether this was the best choice of right now, judging how she had left in in for so long.   
She took the opener and created a wedge between  the LED and her skull. With one quick motion, the LED fell upon the floor of the elevator. She returned the letter opener to her bag. She stooped over and picked the object up off the floor, It was now pale blue, basically dead now that it was no longer connected to her. She stood there, examining it for a short moment before the elevator doors opened. She slipped the LED into her pocket and stepped out onto the floor.  
With a short walk down the hall, she reached the front door. Before she could even knock, the door swung open. On the other side of the door sat Ollie, a child android that katrina had rescued a month ago. But now it seemed that she had now fixed the damage on his face, hence his ability to finally smile,  and arms, but still had a lack of legs since he was still sitting in a wheelchair.  
"Skylar, I've been waiting at the door for you all day!" Ollie beamed as he wheeled closer to Skylar to give her a hug. His voice was chippy and slightly robotic, a sign that his voice box hadn't been fixed fully yet "Literally, since yesterday, ever since Katrina said that you were visiting. I sat right here, and waited for you."  
"Ollie, I've been waiting weeks to see you again, but you gotta let me in first bud." Skylar laughed, ruffling his curly hair.  
Ollie backed up a bit so Skylar could enter into the penthouse.  
"How long has your face and arms been fixed bud?" Skylar asked, closing the door behind her.   
"A couple of weeks, but they took a while for Katrina to fix. Cause you know, you can't rush perfection." Ollie smiled while brushing his fingers along the new patch of metal on his jaw. "but also because of that, it's taking a while to build my legs so I'm stuck in Katrina's wheels for a while. Katrina says it's because I'm such a unique model that it's tough, but it's also been because she's working on other androids. But then I get to hang out with Uncle Hank a lot, he's really cool and sometimes Connor takes me to work with them." He continued to rock back and forth within his wheelchair.  
"Well, it's probably is best that she stays busy, Where is Katrina and Connor right now?" Skylar asked, seeing that the both of them weren't in sight.  
"Katrina's in her studio finishing the final details on an android she's been repairing, I was just with her before I came to the door. Connors at work, it was an emergency apparently, he left ten minutes ago. But he should be back home soon." Ollie shrugged.  
"Oh my god Skylar, we weren't expecting you for another half hour." Katrina stated as she walked into the living room "I wish I could have gotten the door for you, but Ollie's been dying to see you for the past few weeks, he kept on going and checking the door every five minutes."  
"Katrina, I already told her that." Ollie said, throwing his hands up slightly, shaking his head.  
Katrina just rolled her eyes and smiled. "How bout this kid, go and find something to do while I take Skylar to the studio, Connor did just download those new games on your station." Katrina suggested.  
"But.... never mind." Ollie shook his head, then turned and wheeled down a different portion of the room. "I'll just play Vessel until Connor comes back."  
"Just remember to stay away from the level fifteens." Katrina reminded him as she started backtracking to the studio, Skylar following behind her.  
"I'm already past the level fifteens, I'm on level sixteen!" Ollie called back  
"Just stay away from the upper level ones then, you don't have much potions anyways!"  
Ollie just nodded in response before they went back to the studio.  
"How's your prosthetic so far?" Skylar asked, glancing down at Katrinas leg. A prosthetic leg replaced katrinas lost left one, but it was so realistic that Skylar could barely tell that she lost it.  
"Pretty well, I took some of the tech I used with the androids and put it in a prosthetic. I'm going to open up another branch in CyberLife that's all prosthetics." Katrina told her.  
"And then you and Connor?" The question came out once the door had closed.  
"That's a bit harder to explain." Katrina let out a airy laugh "I know what you say every time. I love Connor more than anything in the world. But as much as I love and dream about being with him, I emotionally can not hold a relationship right now. I need more time to heal with losing my leg, and emotionally as well. I need a rock right now and Connors my rock. I know Connor feels the same exact way, but he knows that it can't happen right now."  
"Maybe in a few months from now, but you're right about needing to heal."  
"Maybe."  
"Is everything going okay with Ollie as well?" Skylar asked   
"It's going really well, he's just going around and being a kid, it's just that he remembers what it's like before the revolution before he got damaged when he could run and jump around. He struggles a bit, but overall he's doing pretty well." Katrina nodded as she leaned against a table "I'm trying as fast as I can to fix his legs, but I've been so goddamn busy." She rubbed her eyes after she said that  
"Best that you're busy anyways." Skylar commented.  
"Yeah probably, helps cope with the guilt really." Katrina shrugged "but I've already stood in my soap box about that, how are you doing?"  
"Fine, I found somewhere to stay, a forever home really. I love it there. You should come over sometime, it's my turn to cater the company."  
"Skylar you 'catered the company' your whole life." Katrina copies. "You can relax a bit. It's fine, really."  
Skylar smiles. "So, with 'operation Jericho fix up', how is that going?"   
"Alright. I'm about to ship out my last order."  
"Skylar?" Ollie ponders, sliding back through the studio door.  
"Yeah?"   
"Sorry I just wanted to tell you how much I liked Simon. He was really nice to me at Jericho-"  
"Ollie..." Katrina interrupted. "You really should-"  
"No, it's alright. I liked him too Ollie." Skylar exhaled, shifting the weight on her feet. "Thank you." Ollie smiled and wheeled back into his little video game cave that invaded Katrina's studio. Skylar moves towards Katrina, grabbing her hand. "You've done so much for us. Thank you."   
"Yeah. Don't worry about it. You guys deserve it. Everyone from Jericho, and everyone around the world. I just wish I could get every androids loved one's fixed. Not just in Detroit, everywhere."   
"Don't stress Katrina. You have done more than what you assume. You saved lives."   
"Including mine." A familiar voice rang through the apartment. Skylar's eyes whipped from Katrinas gaze to someone else's.   
"No." Skylar's feet pounded against the wooden floor, speeding up with every step. Wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and gripping onto his cloth t-shirt. "Simon!"   
"I heard about the house-"   
Skylar's lips met his cheek, over and over. Switching side to side, moving up and down his neck. She went on for ages. Showing all the love she hadn't been able to for so long, the feelings she had to keep bottled for six months. Pausing she looked into his blue eyes, her hands holding his head "You aren't real are you?"   
"It's me, Skylar. It's really me." His voice pushed clear. Simon smiled at her excitement. "You have no idea how long I've waited to see you."   
"Me either." Skylar cried, taking not a second longer to press her lips into his. She pulled away to smile to herself, then connected their lips again. She felt her artificial skin pull away from her mouth and around her nose revealing her white frame, moments later she heard Simon's do the same.   
Taking a moment Simon was able to stop himself, "So, do you think I can move in?"

...

December 24, 2039  
Over one year since the revolution 

"You all don't know, but I hid a mistletoe somewhere in this house. You won't even notice it until it's too late." North declared as she got comfortable in one of the three couches sprawled out in the living room.  
"It's not even a real mistletoe. mistletoes have white berries, not red. That's holly." Josh argued.  
"I don't need your Christmas technicalities."  
"Guys! I finally got the system hooked up, and Katrina had it so all of us can play!" Ollie exclaimed, holding his wii controller up to play Mario Kart. Katrina had finally fixed his legs right before Summer rolled around, so he could go run and swim whenever he wanted to. There was no more damage on his face and his voice no longer sounded scratchy or robotic. "And kissing is bad for you North, Simon and Skylar do it all the time and if I was physically able to throw up, I would."  
"We'll play one round, and then Simon and I have one more gift to give you." Skylar said as she sat in the recliner seat with Simon.  
"Skylar if you give him anymore gifts you're gonna spoil him." Katrina laughed "He already got a stack of video games from Hank."  
"Spoiled? On Christmas? No way." Skylar rebutted. "This kid deserves every present he gets. Plus I'm pretty sure you'll love this one."  
Ollie started handing out controllers to all the people in the room that wanted to play. North, Markus, Josh, Simon, Skylar.  
"Uncle Hank, do you want to play?" Ollie asked, offering a controller to the older man.   
"I would, but Sumos blocking the way." Hank responded, Sumo was sitting directly in his lap, nearly engulfing Hank in fur.  
"Here, I'll take that Ollie." Connor said as he took the controller from his hands.  
"Katrina?" Ollie asked  
"Connors got me covered and playing for me, don't worry." She told him, sitting a little closer to connor in the crook of the couch. "Thank you though."  
"Alright, everyone pick your characters, but I'm Princess Peach." Ollie said, then sat down on the carpet in front of the tv.  
It was no mistake that they all chose to have the little christmas party they were going to throw at Skylar and Simon's house. When Skylar had boughten the house she imagined herself living there, with a small family. Unaware that her wish would come true. It was a little small, but charming and warm. All the appliances to the house were in the down stairs such as the dining room, living room, kitchen, and mud room. While the bed and bath rooms were in the upstairs. Everyone that was invited came, with gifts or not. Although, Hank and Katrina were the only humans there. The group of them easily filled the living room.  
Colored string lights were strung all around the house, along with decorations and a Christmas tree tucked snugly in the corner of the living room, all the gifts underneath already opened. Although there were a handful for the adults, most of them were for Ollie or Sumo after all.  
"See, I told you I'd beat you at Rainbow Road North!" Ollie said, once the stats of the races had come up. Princess Peach, Ollie's character of choice, sat at first place. While Baby Daisy, Norths character of choice, sat at second.  
"Alright alright, I guess we can be civil now that the race is over." North smiled. "Nice job losing Markus."  
"I helped lead a revolution. Cut me some slack."  
Simon came down the stairs with a large cardboard box with a single bowed ribbon tied around it. He had left about halfway through the race to fetch Ollie's last present in the request of Skylar. He sat the box down next to Ollie, sitting down by Skylar once again. "Go ahead and open it Ollie." Simon smiled.   
Ollie looked over the box once, then opened up the flaps of the box. Sumo removed himself from the couch to sniff over the box to make sure the box was Sumo approved. Ollie's eyes lighting up with joy at the size of the present. He peered in, and once he saw what was inside he gasped.  
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, Connor! Katrina! Look!" He exclaimed excited it as he picked up and lifted a blue puppy english mastiff out of the box, a red bow tied loosely around the animals collar. "I'm gonna name her Peaches."  
"You got him a dog?" Katrina asked as Ollie hugged the puppy tightly. She couldn't help but imagine the damage the puppy would cause around the house,  
"We got your family a dog. And well, the kids gotta be a kid. We already have everything in the box. Food, toys, the whole shabang." Skylar shrugged. "We talked to Connor earlier about it and he said it was a good idea."  
"But it seems that Connor forgot to tell me about the plans." Katrina said, looking right at Connor.  
"You know what, I have one more gift for Katrina." Hank interrupted, then pulled out one more gift. It was flat but heavy. It felt like a file in Katrina's hand.  
"These better not be the adoption papers for the dog." Katrina laughed as she opened it.   
"No quite." Hank smiled as Katrina revealed an orange paper envelope. She looked at it confused, but twisted the metal to open the envelope. When she lifted the flap inside, it showed a thick stack of papers.  
"Hank I have to admit I'm a bit confused." Katrina spoke nervously, pulling them out.  
"Just look over them, then you'll get it." Hank assured her.  
Katrina looked over the papers for just a moment, her eyes scanning over the words, tears filling up her eyes.  
"What is it Katrina?" Skylar asked.   
Not knowing what to say, Katrina  rushed over to hug Hank tightly.  
Connor took the papers from Katrina's hands, looking over them as well. "Wow. Hanks going to adopt Katrina." Connor smiled.

...

Ollie ran through the house with a. Bright green tennis ball in one hand , Peaches trying her best to catch up with him as best she could, chasing down the toy at the same time. Most of the visitors had already gone home, only Katrina, Connor,Ollie, Hank, and of course Simon and Skylar were the only people left. Hank was in the living room, promptly asleep in the recliner with Sumo lying down on top of him. Connor and Katrina stood in the kitchen while Skylar and Simon were off cleaning up after the chaos that had taken place in their house.  
"Ollie sweetie you're going to wear her out." Katrina reminded him. Peaches lied down on the carpet finally, panting heavily.   
Ollie moved over to Peaches and picked her up, holding her to his chest. "Katrina, could I please spend the night at Skylar and Simon's house?" Ollie begged.  
"Not this weekend bud, but go find them and ask if you can spend the next weekend with them." Katrina told him.  
Ollie sped off without another word, leaving Connor and Katrina alone in the kitchen.  
Katrina had already been sitting on top of the counter, her legs swinging slightly. Connor was not that far, leaving against the kitchen sink with his arms folded across his chest.  
"That kid is way too wound up." Katrina laughed a bit "But I'm happy he had a good Christmas, he deserves it."  
"He'll fall asleep once he gets in the car. The dog will too." Connor laughed, turning his head towards her.   
Katrina just nodded in response, not knowing what to say. She had a million and one things to say to Connor, just she just didn't know how to say it, how to form the words to tell him. She needed something to happen, one of them needed to speak but it just wasn't happening.  
"I think North was right." Connor stated, interrupting Katrina's thoughts.  
"About what?" Katrina asked, Connor pushing himself off the kitchen sink and closer to her.  
"That we won't notice it until it's too late." Connor looked up, Katrina following the action. Right above their heads, hung the mistletoe that North was bragging about earlier. The leaves hung low, the red, not white, berries glistening in the light.  
"Well." Katrina shrugged, then smiled. "Kiss me then."  
Connor smiled, moving one hand on her cheek and the other hand. Then finally placed his lips softly on hers.


End file.
